GEOFF BENNETT: Policies of the# Trump administration are having## a separate effect on higher ed,# namely, student loans and debt.

Next month, the Department of Education will# resume collections of defaulted student loans,## ending a five-year pause that began during the# pandemic.

As part of the process, the government## will withhold tax refunds or Social Security and# garnish wages to recover the debt.

Right now,## more than five million borrowers are already# in default, with millions more at risk.

Danielle Douglas-Gabriel covers higher education## for The Washington Post and joins# us now.

It's great to have you here.

So, help us understand why the administration# is making this change and why now.

DANIELLE DOUGLAS-GABRIEL, The# Washington Post: So, honestly,## this was always the plan.

When .. they had ended a number of programs that had# really kind of softened the return to repayment.

Now, if you recall, the student loans resumed# back in 2023.

Then the Biden administration## gave borrowers an additional 12-month grace# period, whereby, if you were to miss a payment## or be late on a payment, it wouldn't count# against you.

That was over in September 2024.

And I think now we're starting to see the# consequences of the end of that grace period.## A lot of borrowers I have spoken with in# the last couple of months have said that## they weren't even aware that student loans had# fully gone back into repayment.

And so many## of them accidentally missed payments for several# months.

At least that's what they're saying to me.

And now we're starting to see the consequences of# that.

I think around February, you were starting## to hear about people whose credit scores guarded# to drop because the department had to and student## loan servicers that managed the loans had to# report their late payments to the credit bureaus.

And so there are about four million# people who are 90 days past due on## their student loans.

And so there's a real# fear right now that many of those people,## if there isn't an intervention and they# don't start making payments or find a## plan that they could afford, they could go# into full-blown default later this year.

And if that were to happen, and they're past# a full year of not making payments, well,## that's when you start to see things like the# government garnishing your wages.

That's when## they can start seizing your tax refund, seizing# Social Security benefits.

And certainly we don't## want to see that for any American, especially# because the consequences are so severe.

And people are really worried about# their economic status at this stage.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, I was going to ask you# when the collections will officially resume,## but it sounds like it started already.

DANIELLE DOUGLAS-GABRIEL: Certainly,## at least the repor.. And that's like the first couple of stages.

There# are many stages of being delinquent on your loans## before you hit full-blown default.

Usually, the# government considers you in default by 270 days.## They start reporting you full-fledged in 360# days.

But before that, if you are 60 days past## due or 90 days past due, you will start# to see the effects on your credit score,## which can make it difficult to get a mortgage,# get a car loan or even rent an apartment.

GEOFF BENNETT: And, Danielle, because of the# Trump administration's prior dismantling of the## Education Department, we are hearing accounts# of borrowers having a hard time getting in## touch with a real person at the department# if they have questions about their loans.

Based on your reporting, what can people do?

DANIELLE DOUGLAS-GABRIEL: I mean, that# has been a serious challenge.

Certainly,## your first line of defense is contacting your# student loan servicer.

These are companies## like Nelnet, Mohela, contractors# that work for the department.

But they're going to be inundated with calls,# I expect.

And the Department of Education,## the Federal Student Aid Office,# has kind of been the backup here,## where borrowers can call if they have# complaints.

But as a part of the Trump## administration's efforts to close the Department# of Education, a lot of the people who worked## at the Federal Student Aid Office have# left, lost their jobs or just resigned.

GEOFF BENNETT: And, lastly,# on a separate topic, today,## more than 180 leaders of higher education from# around the country released a joint statement## condemning the administration's# efforts to control universities.

And part of the letter reads this way:## "We are open to constructive reform and do# not oppose legitimate government oversight.## However, we must oppose undue government# intrusion in the lives of those who learn,## live and work on our campuses.

We must reject# the coercive use of public research funding."

And this, of course, is a day after Harvard# sued the Trump administration over the## decision to freeze billions of dollars in# federal funds.

What are the implications## of the Trump administration's confrontations# with colleges and universities for funding,## for campus climate and the role of# higher education in our democracy?

DANIELLE DOUGLAS-GABRIEL: I think there's# a real threat and a real concern that the## administration's efforts could undo years# of research advancements and really set## the United States back in its role of being a# leading-edge place for innovation, which -- and## that innovation has come at our research# universities, many of which are the subject## of these sorts of investigations for not doing# enough to curtail antisemitism on their campuses.

And there are real concerns# about rising antisemitism## across the country.

Many of these# schools have enumerated the steps## that they're taking to try to fix# this, but the administration's tactics## have left a lot of institutions fearful# that there is no real way to satisfy them.

If you look at what happened with Columbia,# Columbia tried to negotiate in good faith with## the administration and still did not receive the# $400 million in research funding that was frozen.

And I think, after Harvard made the decision# to rebuke the administration's demands and## then ultimately filed this lawsuit earlier this# week, you have seen a lot more university leaders## willing to speak up and say that they are not# going to let the federal government tell them## what to teach, who to hire, or how they have# to conduct the business of their universities,## because it would be detrimental to the# U.S.' standing within higher education.

GEOFF BENNETT: Danielle Douglas-Gabriel# of The Washington Post, always a pleasure## to speak with you.

Thanks for being with us.

DANIELLE DOUGLAS-GABRIEL: Thank you so much.