SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) — California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced July 6 that he has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). Becerra alleges the DOE is unlawfully delaying a regulation that would protect students from deceptive practices and fraud.
The Borrower Defense Regulations, which had been set to take effect July 1, were delayed by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. DeVos said the DOE would not implement the rule because it is conducting a “regulatory reset” and is looking to finding alternative regulations.
Becerra’s office believes these alternative regulations would provide victimized borrowers with far fewer protections. In his lawsuit, Becerra argues that the refusal to implement the regulations is a violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.
“The Trump administration should do everything in its power to protect our students,” Becerra said. “At the California Department of Justice, we will continue working to ensure that all who seek higher education can do so without worrying that their American Dream will be stolen by unscrupulous purveyors of a sham college education. These regulations should be implemented because they’re good for students and because that’s what the law requires.”