An alien inadmissible under paragraph (4) of section 1182(a) of this title may, if otherwise admissible, be admitted in the discretion of the Attorney General (subject to the affidavit of support requirement and attribution of sponsor’s income and resources under section 1183a of this title) upon the giving of a suitable and proper bond or undertaking approved by the Attorney General, in such amount and containing such conditions as he may prescribe, to the United States, and to all States, territories, counties, towns, municipalities, and districts thereof holding the United States and all States, territories, counties, towns, municipalities, and districts thereof harmless against such alien becoming a public charge. Such bond or undertaking shall terminate upon the permanent departure from the United States, the naturalization, or the death of such alien, and any sums or other security held to secure performance thereof, except to the extent forfeited for violation of the terms thereof, shall be returned to the person by whom furnished, or to his legal representatives. Suit may be brought thereon in the name and by the proper law officers of the United States for the use of the United States, or of any State, territory, district, county, town, or municipality in which such alien becomes a public charge, irrespective of whether a demand for payment of public expenses has been made.

(June 27, 1952, ch. 477, title II, ch. 2, § 213, 66 Stat. 188; Pub. L. 91–313, § 1, July 10, 1970, 84 Stat. 413; Pub. L. 101–649, title VI, § 603(a)(8), Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 5083; Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 308(d)(3)(A), title V, § 564(f), Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–617, 3009–684.)