Support Grows in U.S. Congress to Designate Polisario Front as Terrorist Group

Support is expanding within the U.S. Congress for a legislative initiative to classify the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization. The resolution, H.R. 4119, has seen increased backing, with Republican representatives Scott Desjarlais and Matt Gaetz joining as co-sponsors. This brings the total number of supporters from both parties to 16.

This bipartisan push is an extension of the legislative effort led by Republican Joe Wilson and Democratic co-sponsor Jimmy Panetta. Introduced on June 24, the resolution aims to place the separatist group on the U.S. list of foreign terrorist organizations. The justification provided by the resolution's sponsors centers on alleged connections between the Polisario Front and Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia.

Among the notable signatories are representatives from both the Democratic and Republican parties, including Mark Veasey, Tim Moore, Maria Elvira Salazar, Mario Diaz-Balart, Jefferson Sharrif, Randy Fine, Lance Gooden, Bart Harrington, Zachary Nunn, Don Bacon, Claudia Tenney, Elise Stefanik, alongside Wilson and Panetta. Wilson previously announced the bipartisan legislation on June 26, 2025, citing the Polisario Front's alleged links to Iranian, Russian, and Hezbollah elements as a threat to regional stability and to Morocco, which he described as a "historic U.S. ally."

In parallel efforts, Republican Senator Ted Cruz announced a similar bill in the Senate on March 13, 2026. This Senate initiative, supported by fellow Republican Senators Tom Cotton and Rick Scott, also aims to designate the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization at the federal level.