REJECTED: Amy Coney Barrett Denies Emergency Petition to Stop Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan

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Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett denied a petition by a group of Wisconsin taxpayers seeking to block President Joe Biden’s student debt forgiveness program from moving forward.

Barrett, who handles emergency filings emanating from the Badger State, rejected the request without explanation.

In August, Biden announced the federal government, which holds the vast majority of outstanding student loan debt, will forgive $10,000 in debt for every borrower making less than $125,000 per year. Meanwhile, Pell Grant recipients are eligible for $20,000 in debt forgiveness.

The move sparked an outcry among conservatives, who say the plan is both unfair to those who have already paid their student debts back and costly to taxpayers more broadly. It has prompted several lawsuits, but none so far have been successful. One key issue is that all plaintiffs thus far seem to lack standing, as they have been unable to demonstrate they have incurred actual harm as a result.

In fact, the emergency petition to Barrett acknowledged as much.

“Applicant is aware that prudential notions of standing are an issue here,” the filing reads. “Applicant is aware of the concern that federal courts should not be transformed into forums for the abstract litigation of questions in which litigants without a concrete stake in the matter press claims that do not discreetly affect them. Courts should not become a forum to do no more than refight legislative battles.”

The group goes on to claim that it and “those similarly situated” are being asked to assume the forgiven debt in question.

Barrett was seemingly unmoved, as she denied the request without explanation.