130K Student Debtors Demand Payment Pause As Ed Dept Systems Collapse
- Aug 5
- 5 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 5, 2026
Contact:
Natalia Abrams, SDCC | Braxton Brewington, Debt Collective |
Student Debt Crisis Center and Debt Collective Announce August “National Week of Action to Pause Student Loans”
WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, a petition signed by student loan borrowers and advocates calling on the White House and policymakers to pause federal student debt payments and interest reached 130,000 individual signatures. The petition also demands that any paused months count toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) forgiveness timelines, as they did during the federal student loan payment pause at the onset of COVID-19. In response to mounting administrative failures, Student Debt Crisis Center and Debt Collective are launching a National Week of Action next week to mobilize thousands of borrowers to contact their representatives, share their stories, and demand immediate relief.
Systemic failures, such as preventable mistakes from student loan servicers and lack of oversight from the Department of Education, are causing borrowers to suffer on an unprecedented scale. The Department of Education recently admitted to overestimating thousands of monthly payments by hundreds of dollars. With PAYE and REPAYE plans shadow repealed, debtors face costlier options. In recent conversations, SDCC supporters have expressed that a pause would offer relief from impossible bills, prevent ballooning balances, and provide breathing room amid a volatile repayment system. Their responses highlight growing financial burdens compounded by confusing guidance.
"The White House paused payments in 2020 under less severe circumstances, and they have the power to do it again," said Natalia Abrams, President of the Student Debt Crisis Center. “Borrowers are not looking for a scapegoat or quick fix. They have upheld their end of the contract, and it is only fair that the White House pauses payments and interest accrual while they untangle the dysfunctional mess the student loan repayment system has become.”
"The basic tools available to student debtors that allow borrowers to accurately understand their timeline to cancellation or ascertain essential information such as how many payments the Department of Education has on record simply do not function," said Braxton Brewington, spokesperson for the Debt Collective, the nation’s first union of debtors. “Debtors need a pause on payments after the Department of Education has administered countless catastrophic errors that are currently costing debtors billions. Trump has paused student debt payments before and he can do it again — debtors just need voices in Washington D.C. to amplify their voices.”
The stakes are only rising as pending lawsuits over the rollout of recent federal student loan changes remain unresolved, leaving borrowers uncertain about which repayment options will remain available to them and when. Until those questions are answered, and until the backlog clears, SDCC and the Debt Collective say a pause isn't just reasonable, it's necessary.
Student Debt Crisis Center and Debt Collective will continue collecting signatures and borrower stories until borrowers get the relief they're demanding.
ABOUT Student Debt Crisis Center
Student Debt Crisis Center is a national advocacy organization with nearly 2,000,000 supporters calling for fundamental reforms to student loan policies and an end to the student debt crisis. Learn more here.
ABOUT Debt Collective
Debt Collective is the nation’s first union of debtors fighting to cancel debts and defend millions of households.
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Recent stories from SDCC Borrowers
“I have never been more confused than now! The new system in place on the repayment plans is so messed up. I go to FSA and am told one thing and when I go to my lender I am told another. This is ridiculous and the goal post is constantly being moved on borrowers making it more and more impossible for anyone to actually, successfully, pay back these loans. We are constantly being told, "you just don't want to pay back what you took". When that is not the case at all. We don't care about paying back what we borrowed, what we care about is the insane interest rates making it so that we aren't even paying the principal which is keeping us in an endless payment plan. People who have borrowed 45k now owe over 95k, how does that make sense? And when the government is constantly changing the rules and systems it is making it impossible to even keep up, people have lives, jobs and families, do we not get a break!? We need a payment pause for the government to actually figure out these new systems and new plans, have everything set in stone and make actual sense and have actual communication between lenders and borrowers and make it so that borrowers can actually afford to pay back these loans and not just interest for the rest of their lives!” - Avalon, NY
“I support a payment pause, the legislation is very confusing about what's going on and what my options are. I am pregnant and expecting a child and I can't afford the ongoing payments with my new baby on the way.” - Margaret, Illinois
“I support the payment pause as my current payment is too high. I have been dipping into my savings to make the payments. The current formula does not consider current debt (i.e. mortgage, utilities, groceries, transportation etc.,) in payment calculations. Further, I think it is also unfair that we were forced to be put in a forbearance for the SAVE Plan but not given credit towards PSLF. This was NOT our choice. I would like the payments to be paused with the understanding that the pause will count towards PSLF.” - Chitora, Mississippi
“I support a payment pause since inflation has gotten so out of control it is all my family can do to just pay the rent and buy groceries. I haven't gone to any doctors in over 5 years since I cannot afford basic care. And yes, I have a full time job with benefits. My husband works as well but his job is seasonal so he doesn't get any benefits, sick time, or vacation. We both feel blessed to even have a job in this economy, but things are so bad right now. It is both sad and scary as hell. The thought of having to pay back on my student loans is more than I can bear. It would break me at this point.” - E., Florida
“With current inflation and rising costs of everything, I cannot afford my loan payments anymore. Since graduating in 2015, I have owed about $136,000 in loans. Currently, I still owe $145,000. That is absurd. After 7 yrs of on-time payments, then taking advantage of national forbearance, I somehow owe more than what I started out with. I am all for paying what is owed, but the system is currently broken and unfair.” - Michael, Texas
“With the current economy and cost of living I cannot afford my student loan payments. We have had a loss in household income, and are barely making it.” - Paula, Florida
