This bill, titled the "Public Charge Clarification Act of 2026," amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide clearer definitions for "public charge" and "likely at any time to become a public charge." It establishes that an alien is likely to become a public charge if they are expected to receive one or more public benefits for more than 12 months, in aggregate, within any 36-month period after admission or adjustment of status. The legislation broadly defines "public benefits" to include various federal, state, local, or tribal cash assistance, supplemental nutrition, housing, and non-emergency medical assistance, encompassing both monetizable and non-monetizable benefits. The Secretary of Homeland Security is mandated to publish and regularly update a comprehensive list of all public benefits that could lead to a public charge determination. When assessing inadmissibility, consular officers or USCIS Directors must consider a "totality of the circumstances," including the alien's age, health, family status, assets, education, and skills, with no single factor being dispositive. The bill also strengthens requirements for affidavits of support , demanding documentary evidence that a sponsor can maintain an income at 125% of the Federal poverty line, though such affidavits alone cannot overcome a public charge finding. Furthermore, the bill introduces mandatory public charge bonds of at least $10,000 for aliens deemed likely to become a public charge but who otherwise warrant conditional approval. These bonds would be forfeited if the alien becomes a public charge within 10 years of admission or status adjustment. Exemptions from these provisions are granted to refugees, asylees, and members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their dependents. The amendments will take effect 180 days after enactment and apply to all pending and future visa, admission, or adjustment of status applications.