450k borrowers say they were ripped off. Their student loans are being erased
Cardona during the Biden administration, and now Sweet v. McMahon for Trump's current education secretary, Linda McMahon.'/>The borrowers say they were defrauded by their colleges, but the class-action lawsuit to erase their federal student loans has been tangled up in courts for years.(Image credit: Oliver Contreras)
Reported by 1 outlet — NPR News. See all sources ↓
About 450,000 student borrowers say their colleges lied to them and took their money. They want the government to cancel their federal student loans. The case began as Sweet v. DeVos in 2019, then became Sweet v. Cardona, and is now Sweet v. McMahon. The lawsuit has been stuck in court for years.
Why it matters
If the loans are erased, many people could get relief from heavy debt. The case shows how the government handles claims of college fraud.
- Who are the borrowers?
- They are about 450,000 people who say their colleges cheated them.
- What does "erased" mean for the loans?
- It means the government will cancel the debt so they do not have to pay it back.
- Why has the case taken so long?
- The lawsuit has moved through different courts and changed names as education secretaries changed.
How outlets are framing the same story
Here's how each outlet is covering the story — compare their headlines and timing at a glance.
All outlets frame the story the same way, focusing on the borrowers' claims and the long‑running lawsuit.
- Coverage card1 outlet1CoverageScouting report
450k borrowers say they were ripped off. Their student loans are being erased
Sources1TypeCoverageNPR News