Ayanna Pressley: Cancel $50K in Student Debt, Provide $2K Monthly Payments to Americans and Illegal Immigrants

Far-left “Squad” member Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) is calling on Democrats to cancel up to $50,000 in student debt and provide $2,000 monthly payments to both Americans and illegal immigrants following President Biden’s call to “go big” in the next coronavirus relief package.

Pressley responded to a February 10 post from Biden, who said that Democrats must “go big” on the next coronavirus relief measure.

“That’s right,” she agreed, listing off two of her primary progressive goals.

“We can cancel at least $50K in student debt right now and send families, including our immigrant neighbors, $2,000 survival checks a month until this crisis is over,” she said. “Let’s make it happen”:

That's right. We can cancel at least $50K in student debt right now and send families, including our immigrant neighbors, $2,000 survival checks a month until this crisis is over.

Let's make it happen. https://t.co/IO4XajzryM

— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) February 11, 2021

Pressley is among the dozens of progressive lawmakers who signed a letter to both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris last month, asking that they include recurring payments in any future coronavirus relief proposals.

“Recurring direct payments until the economy recovers will help ensure that people can meet their basic needs, provide racially equitable solutions, and shorten the length of the recession,” the letter, led by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), reads.

“As we look at the coming year, another one-time round of checks would provide a temporary lifeline, but when that money runs out, families will once again struggle to pay for basic necessities,” it continues, demanding that people with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN), which includes illegal immigrants, are included as well.

Checks must extend to “all immigrant workers, refugees, and their families (both ITIN filers and mixed-status households),” the letter reads.

Pressley is hardly the only Democrat lawmaker to push Biden to tackle the cancelation of student debt. While the Biden administration has suspended student loan payments through September, Biden has also demonstrated a willingness to cancel up to $10,000 in student debt — a proposal that does not go far enough for many progressive lawmakers, such as Pressley and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

Last month, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) joined the mounting calls from progressives in the House, writing, “Today would be a great day for President Biden and Vice President Harris to #CancelStudentDebt”:

Today would be a great day for President Biden and Vice President Harris to #CancelStudentDebt.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 29, 2021

The House is expected to pass Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, which includes a one-time payment of $1,400 for individuals making up to $75,000.