The American Federation of Teachers escalated legal pressure on the Department of Education this month, saying the agency has a backlog of more than 800,000 income-driven repayment (IDR) applications as of Dec. 15. The AFT’s amended class-action complaint and motion for preliminary injunction argues the department reopened its application portal but has not processed tens of thousands of applications, violating borrowers’ statutory rights. The union cites earlier settlements in which the department committed to processing backlogged paperwork and providing regular status updates; it now claims that the department has failed to meet its commitments and that loan forgiveness for eligible borrowers has been minimal. AFT President Randi Weingarten said the backlog is “eye-popping” and accused Education Secretary Linda McMahon of lacking a plan to manage the process. If courts find the department’s performance insufficient, higher-ed leaders could see further operational pressure as federal loan-servicing expectations and enrollment impacts intersect. The backlog also creates reputational and financial risks for schools whose former students await IDR approvals or Public Service Loan Forgiveness credit.