Advocates Call Out Move That Will Only Lead to More Confusion, Red Tape, Dead Ends for Students and Families, Call on Department to Address Unprecedented Backlog of Applications from Borrowers Desperately Seeking Affordable Payments

November 18, 2025 | WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Trump Administration announced its plans to continue its unlawful dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education (ED) by shifting key ED functions across four different federal agencies. The move comes after the Trump Administration has already gutted half of ED’s staff and as President Trump has vowed to shutter the Department—despite the fact that the move would require Congressional action.

In response, Aissa Canchola Bañez, Policy Director for Protect Borrowers, issued the following statement:

“Secretary McMahon’s announcement that she is shuffling certain functions of the U.S. Department of Education across four different agencies is a political stunt that will only lead to more chaos and confusion for working families who just want their kids to get a quality education, to be able to pay for college, and to pay off their student loans.

“The Trump Administration claims that they are ‘breaking up bureaucracy,’ but, in reality, they are creating more red tape and more dead ends for American families. Instead, ED and its contractors should be focused on responding to the thousands of unanswered borrower complaints that have been submitted to the FSA Ombudsman’s office. Servicers should work through the 1 million application backlog from borrowers who have been left waiting months as they desperately attempt to access more affordable payments.

“Instead, it is clear that this Administration is more focused on keeping the facade that they are dismantling ED—which is illegal and can only be done by an act of Congress—over helping real people.”

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About Protect Borrowers

Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) is a nonprofit organization led by a team of experts, lawyers, and advocates fighting to build an economy where debt doesn’t limit opportunity. We investigate financial abuses, take predatory companies to court, and push for policies to protect working people from debt traps. We aim to deliver immediate relief to families while building power, driving systemic change, and fighting for racial and economic justice.

Learn more at protectborrowers.org or follow us on social @BorrowerJustice.