(WASHINGTON, D.C., 11/22/2022) – The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed news that the Biden administration plans to extend the pause on student loan payments until as late as June.
Payments now set to resume Jan. 1 will not be required again until June 30 or until after legal challenges to President Joe Biden’s student-debt forgiveness plan are settled, President Biden said Tuesday.
SEE: U.S. to extend student-loan payment pause up to June 30, Biden says
In a statement, CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“We welcome President Biden’s decision to extend student loan payments until at least June 30. Millions of Americans are still struggling with the effects of inflation caused by the pandemic and any help in alleviating their financial difficulty is essential.
“While this decision is helpful in the short term, it is still not enough to solve the student loan crisis. President Biden should forgive a larger amount of student loan debt and suspend interest payments on remaining debt. He should also establish principal-only loans so that young Americans can pursue higher education without falling victim to a vicious, interest-fueled cycle of debt and so that students of faith don’t have to compromise their sincerely-held religious beliefs forbidding usury to attend school.”
He noted that in August, CAIR called the Biden Administration’s plan to forgive $10,000 to $20,000 in student loan debt for some Americans “step in right direction but wholly insufficient” and called on the President to implement broader, comprehensive loan forgiveness by waiving interest on student loan payments and canceling at least $50,000 for all borrowers.
SEE: CAIR Calls Biden Cancellation of $10-20K in Student Debt ‘Step in Right Direction But Wholly Insufficient’ #CancelStudentDebt
In July, CAIR called a proposed rule by the Department of Education eliminating some instances of interest capitalization on federal student loans as a “positive first step” but reiterated its call on the Biden administration to waive interest on all student loan debt.
SEE: CAIR Welcomes Biden Administration’s Proposed Rule on Interest Capitalization, Repeats Call for Waiving All Interest on Student Debt
In April, CAIR joined other local and national Muslim organizations in welcoming the White House’s latest extension of the moratorium on student loan repayments and again calling on the administration to grant long-term student debt relief by executive action.
SEE: Muslim Organizations Renew Call on President Biden to Establish Interest-Free Student Loans, Cancel Significant Amount of Existing Debt
In February, CAIR called on President Biden to use his executive authority to both forgive a significant amount of student loan debt and establish interest-free loans for the benefit of all Americans.
SEE: Dozens of American Muslim Groups Call on President Biden to Cancel Student Debt, Establish Interest-Free Student Loans
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Coordinator Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]