Federal student loan collection powers are so extensive that the US government rarely needs to sue borrowers, opting instead for an array of extra-judicial collection tools. There is no statute of limitations on the collection of student loan debt from the former student.
The U.S. Department of Education resumed collections May 5 for defaulted federal student loans. After pausing during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency had not collected on defaulted loans in over five years.