The Education Department paused planned forced collections on defaulted federal student loans, temporarily halting Treasury Offset Program seizures and wage garnishments. The administration framed the move as relief for borrowers, while nonpartisan watchdogs criticized it as a political intervention that shifts fiscal costs. Maya MacGuineas of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget called the policy an "incoherent political giveaway," arguing it will raise federal costs and complicate long-term budget planning. Universities and financial-aid offices now face uncertainty about default tracking and borrower outreach as collection timelines shift.