Filed Date: March 9, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Four individual student loan borrowers filed suit against the U.S. Department of Education and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on March 9, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. The plaintiffs alleged that the Department was unlawfully refusing to implement the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) student loan repayment plan despite the removal of all legal barriers to its implementation. According to the complaint, the SAVE plan had been previously enjoined by courts in Missouri v. Biden, but on February 27, 2026, the District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri dismissed that case for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The plaintiffs contended that despite this dismissal removing all legal obstacles, the Department continued to deny borrowers access to SAVE benefits, including loan discharge and reduced payments, even though the Department possessed valid regulations and Congress had ratified the underlying statutory authority through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Plaintiffs brought three claims under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA): unlawful withholding of agency action, arbitrary and capricious agency action, and agency action exceeding statutory authority. The plaintiffs sought declaratory relief confirming that the Department was unlawfully withholding SAVE benefits, orders requiring immediate loan cancellation for eligible borrowers and resumption of SAVE implementation, injunctive relief preventing collection from eligible borrowers, attorneys' fees, and other appropriate relief.
This case was assigned to District Judge Loren L. AliKhan.
This case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Maddy Ligon (4/13/2026)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72379585/parties/havens-v-us-department-of-education/
Reyes, Angel E. (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72379585/havens-v-us-department-of-education/
Last updated April 20, 2026, 3:12 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: March 9, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Four individual student loan borrowers.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal
LINDA MCMAHON
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.
Other Dockets:
District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-00816
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority:
Impoundment (mandatory spending)
Case Summary of Havens v. Department of Education, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/47877/ (last updated 4/13/2026).