Chapter News

Social work students are caught between a federal rule, a court order, and a Department of Education (ED) that has signaled the rules could change again.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) applauds the federal court decision in National Council of Nonprofits et al. v. McMahon et al., which struck down a Department of Education rule that would have unlawfully restricted access to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s June 30 decision upholding the Birthright Citizenship provision of the 14th Amendment represents a critical victory for child welfare, social justice, and human rights which are core tenets of the social work profession. This ruling affirms one of America’s most essential post-Civil War constitutional protections, originally designed to guarantee citizenship to formerly enslaved people.

Successful advocacy is measured by more than the number of bills signed into law. Preventing harmful legislation from advancing, negotiating improvements before passage, and educating lawmakers on the impact of proposed policy are all part of the work. The NASW-Illinois Chapter remained actively engaged on all of those fronts throughout this session.