Federal judge in Texas strikes down Biden's student loan relief plan

Driving the news: Pittman declared the program illegal after the Job Creators Network Foundation filed a lawsuit last month alleging the administration violated federal procedures.

• The suit, filed on behalf of two borrowers, accuses the administration of denying borrowers an opportunity to provide public comment before launching the program.

What we're watching: "For the 26 million borrowers who have already given the Department of Education the necessary information to be considered for debt relief — 16 million of whom have already been approved for relief — the Department will hold onto their information so it can quickly process their relief once we prevail in court," Jean-Pierre said.

The big picture: The move comes after a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the debt relief program in a suit brought by six Republican states — among a growing number of legal challenges against the plan.

• The Supreme Court has already turned down two requests to block the program — one from a Wisconsin taxpayer group and another from an Indiana legal group.

What they're saying: "The President and this Administration are determined to help working and middle-class Americans get back on their feet, while our opponents – backed by extreme Republican special interests — sued to block millions of Americans from getting much-needed relief," Jean-Pierre said.

The other side: "The court has correctly ruled in favor of our motion and deemed the Biden student loan program illegal," said Elaine Parker, president of the foundation, in a statement.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.