Students and advocates rally for student debt cancellation outside of the Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) –Students with loans and advocates rallied by the steps of the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning as the highest court in the land heard oral arguments in two legal challenges to President Biden’s student loan forgiveness program.

The group that rallied was called “People’s Rally For Student Debt Cancellation” and their rally began at about 8 a.m. on Tuesday with music singing and several speakers addressing the crowd. Rallygoers held signs calling for the cancellation of student debt and emphasizing it is legal for the debts to be canceled.

Some who were outside the Supreme Court included: current students and former students who are still paying student loans.

“I want to buy a home. I want to start a family and I have over $100,000 worth of debt and it’s a lot. And I’m doing everything I was told to pursue the American dream and it feels unfair,” said Satra Taylor, a Doctoral Student Studying Higher Education

Taylor told DC News Now she was speaking up for herself but more importantly she showed up to rally for her loved ones.

“What pushed me to come out is when I realized of student loan debt is canceled under Biden’s plan that all my family members’ student loan debt will be wiped out,” said Taylor.

Organizers and speakers at the rally stressed the legality of the president’s program.

“Definitely hoping to hear that the supreme court also agrees that president does have jurisdiction to make this decision,” said Kristin McGuire, the Executive Director of “Young Invincibles” and one of the organizers of Tuesday’s rally.

“If it wasn’t legal, then President Biden wouldn’t haven’t done it. Make it make sense,” said Taylor.
A number of rallygoers were inside the court as the arguments happened. Some people got their ticket on Monday to be inside but camped outside overnight into Tuesday; another way to get their message about the need for student loan cancellation

“We came out here we sat out all night in the cold and the rain to support student debt relief. Personally, I’m only a sophomore and I have thousands of dollars in debt,” said one of the students who camped out overnight.

“Because I really believe that justices should have to look into the eyes of borrowers. and they’re hearing people funded by billionaires talking about taking away the relief that we’re entitled to,” said Melissa Byrne, the Founder Of “We The 45 Million” one of the groups that camped overnight.

About 26 million people have applied for Biden’s relief program and about 16 million people have been approved for some relief in the President’s proposed program.

A decision from the Supreme Court is expected in June.