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 said that it will resume collections May 5 for defaulted federal student loans. After pausing during the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency has not collected on defaulted loans in over five years.