A legislative push in the United States Senate to formally designate the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organization is gaining traction, with a fourth senator joining the initiative just ten days after the bill was first introduced. Republican Senator David McCormick formally endorsed the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act of 2026 on March 23, adding his name to those of Senators Ted Cruz, Tom Cotton, and Rick Scott, who had originally introduced the legislation on March 13.
The bill calls on the US Secretary of State to initiate a formal terrorist designation process if credible evidence of cooperation between the Polisario and Iran-backed organizations already listed as terrorist entities is established. The legislation also mandates the production of a detailed report covering joint military operations, arms transfers including drones and their components, and intelligence-sharing activities between the Polisario and groups affiliated with the Iranian regime.
Senator Cruz has been among the most vocal proponents of the measure, arguing that Tehran is deliberately attempting to turn the Polisario into a regional proxy force comparable to the Houthis in Yemen. He accused the movement of receiving drones from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and facilitating weapons transfers to jihadist groups active in the Sahel. These allegations, first raised during Senate hearings on North African and Sahel security on February 3, 2026, have since been formalized into legislative action.
If enacted, the designation would unleash the full weight of US counter-terrorism legislation against the movement, triggering financial sanctions, travel restrictions, and asset freezes. Supporters argue such measures are essential to counter Iranian influence in North and West Africa.
A parallel legislative effort is also underway in the House of Representatives, where a similar bill introduced by Representatives Joe Wilson and Jimmy Panetta in June 2025 has attracted ten co-sponsors. The simultaneous momentum in both chambers signals that the Polisario’s international standing is coming under increasing scrutiny in Washington, with lasting implications for the broader regional dispute over the Western Sahara.
