• Karishma Chawla prepares a snack for her daughter Naisha at her home in San Jose, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. For decades spouses of H-1B visa holders could not work, until two years ago when President Obama issued a work authorization. But now his authorization is under threat by the Trump administration who is trying to rid these visa holders from the ability to work. Photo: James Tensuan, Special To The Chronicle
Photo: James Tensuan, Special To The Chronicle
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Karishma Chawla prepares a snack for her daughter Naisha at her home in San Jose, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. For decades spouses of H-1B visa holders could not work, until two years ago when President Obama issued a work authorization. But now his authorization is under threat by the Trump administration who is trying to rid these visa holders from the ability to work. less
Karishma Chawla prepares a snack for her daughter Naisha at her home in San Jose, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 18, 2017. For decades spouses of H-1B visa holders could not work, until two years ago when President ... more
Photo: James Tensuan, Special To The Chronicle

The Trump administration has published plans to stop issuing work permits for spouses of H-1B holders.

This confirms a report by The Chronicle last month that said the administration intended to overturn a 2015 rule that allowed the government to grant work permits to spouses of H-1B holders. Thousands of foreigners currently in the United States already have the permits.

About 130,000 spouses and children of H-1B visa holders came to the U.S. on H-4 visas last year. Before President Barack Obama created a work permit for certain H-4 visa holders in 2015, these foreigners — often women — were not allowed to hold a job here or be issued a Social Security number.

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The notice — titled Removing H-4 Dependent Spouses from the Class of Aliens Eligible for Employment Authorization — was recently published in the Unified Agenda, which is a semi-annual list of regulations under development by the federal agencies. It is published in the spring and fall.

The Department of Homeland Security is reviewing the H-4 work authorization in light of President Trump’s Buy American, Hire American executive order, according to the notice. The administration plans to propose an official rule in the Federal Register by February, although that timing is subject to change.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadni