With Donald Trump back in office for the second non-consecutive term, everyone is expecting he would pick up things where he had left them. One such policy that almost saw the light of the day during his last reign was to end work permits for H-4 visa holders.

First introduced in 2015, these permits have allowed H-1B spouses to work, open bank accounts, get Social Security numbers, and help them live a dignified life in the US. But under Trump’s renewed “America First” agenda these permits might be on the chopping block.

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During his first term, Trump pushed the “Buy American, Hire American” policy, directly threatening H-4 work permits. Though Biden withdrew the policy before it was finalized, Trump’s return signals a revival of anti-immigrant policies that unfairly target educated Indian families.

Anti-immigration groups believe that these permits are taking jobs away from Americans, but courts have upheld the rule in the past. Trump’s administration, however, will likely bypass these rulings and will have no hesitancy in passing anti-immigrant policies.

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With many skilled spouses working in major sectors like tech and healthcare, this could also have an adverse effect on the country. It is an uncertain time for Indian families in the US who are in danger of losing one source of income.