Six States to Argue Against Student Debt Relief: Here's How Much They Have

President Joe Biden received praise from Americans across the country saddled with student debt upon the passing of his student debt relief plan earlier this year, but he's also faced harsh criticism. Six Republican-led states will argue against Biden's decision in federal court today.

In late August, Biden's administration announced the Student Debt Relief Plan, which eliminates up to $10,000 in debt for borrowers making less than $125,000 a year. The relief is only available for those with federal loans rather than private loans, but some states are arguing that any student loan relief could harm their incomes. The plan eliminates $20,000 in debt for Pell Grant recipients. The plan could cost more than $400 billion, and despite several lawsuits against him, the president is moving forward with the relief.

Arkansas, South Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri will argue against the student debt relief plan in federal court this morning. Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, who is running for lieutenant governor, is leading the joint effort among the GOP states. The states are requesting a temporary pause on the program, contending that Biden's student debt relief plan hurts private lenders and accusing Biden of calling the pandemic "over", which contradicts the student debt relief's purpose of being hinged on the ongoing pandemic.

Education Data Initiative, an education-centered research team, reports that states have an average of $29 billion in debt. Washington, D.C., residents have the highest average debt, Hawaiians are the least likely to have loans, and in every state, those ages 25 to 34 are the most likely to have debt. Among the six states suing the Biden Administration, only two have more student loan debt than the nationwide average, and some of the states have "significantly less" debt than other states.

Arkansas Student Loan Debt

According to Education Data Initiative, borrowers in Arkansas owe a total of $13 billion. Thirteen percent of the state's residents have student loans. Nearly 18 percent of borrowers have less than $5,000 in debt, meaning their debt would be completely wiped out by Biden's plan.

South Carolina Student Loan Debt

South Carolina residents have a higher-than-average debt, with 14.3 percent of the state's residents owing a total of $28.1 billion in debt. Nearly 15 percent of borrowers owe less than $5,000.

Iowa Student Loan Debt

According to the Education Data Initiative, Iowa residents owe "significantly less" on average than other states. The state's residents owe $13.1 billion in student loan debt, divided among 13.6 percent of residents. More than 18 percent of borrowers owe less than $5,000.

Kansas Student Loan Debt

Kansas residents also owe less on average than other states, with 13.1 percent of state residents owing $12.5 billion in debt. More than 17 percent of borrowers owe less than $5,000.

Nebraska Student Loan Debt

Nebraska residents owe "much less" than other states, with 12.6 percent of state residents owing $7.9 billion in student debt. More than 18 percent of borrowers owe less than $5,000.

Missouri Student Loan Debt

According to the site, Missouri residents are more likely to have higher debt than other states. Missouri owes the most debt among the states suing Biden, with more than 13 percent of residents owing $29.5 billion in debt. More than 15 percent owe less than $5,000.

The lawsuit said with the economy in a state of disarray and Biden's debt relief plan only caters to those in the top 60 percent of income distribution. The lawsuit also alleges that Biden overstepped with the relief and took action he wasn't permitted to take.

"In addition to being economically unwise and downright unfair, the Biden Administration's Mass Debt Cancellation is yet another example in a long line of unlawful regulatory actions," the lawsuit said. "No statute permits President Biden to unilaterally relieve millions of individuals from their obligation to pay loans they voluntarily assumed."

Rutledge has sued the Biden Administration several times on various topics such as environmental policies, federal vaccine mandates, school lunch funding and others, according to the Arkansas attorney general website.

Newsweek reached out to Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge's office and several political lawyers for comment.