“Borrowers will now be expected to repay their loans, and those who don’t will face involuntary collections,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Tuesday. “The government can and will collect federal student loan debt by withholding money from borrowers, tax refunds, federal pensions and even their wages.”

The Department of Education announced on Monday that it will restart collecting federal student loans in default on May 5, ending a pandemic-era pause that began roughly five years ago.

American taxpayers will no longer be forced to serve as collateral for irresponsible student loan policies,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon in a statement. Fo