U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (NJ) and Ronny Jackson (TX) have introduced the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act, the bipartisan House companion to legislation in the Senate led by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX).
The legislation requires the Secretary of State to designate the Algeria-backed Polisario group as a terrorist organization for cooperating with Iran or Iranian-backed terrorist organizations.
“The Iranian regime and its terrorist proxies are working overtime to open a new front against the United States and our allies, and the Polisario Front has become one of their instruments,” said Democrat Congressman Josh Gottheimer.
“When a group takes drones and weapons from the IRGC and coordinates with Iranian-backed terrorists, we should call it exactly what it is: a terrorist organization”, he added.
“This bipartisan bill makes sure that once that cooperation is confirmed, we can bring the full weight of America’s counterterrorism sanctions down on the Polisario Front and cut its leaders off from the global financial system, international travel, and the resources they use to threaten us and our allies”, underlined Gottheimer.
Original co-sponsors are Representatives Claudia Tenny (NY), Greg Landsman (OH), Don Bacon (NE-2), and Jared Moskowitz (FL). This is the 3rd FTO bill launched in the U.S. Congress against the Polisario armed militias, armed, funded and sheltered by the Algerian regime.
The first bill was introduced in June 2025 in the U.S. House of Representatives by Republican Joe Wilson and Democrat Representative Jimmy Panetta. The 2nd FTO bill targeting the Polisario was tabled in March 2026 by U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.).
The American senators said the Iranian regime is trying to turn the Polisario Front into the Houthis of West Africa and use them to undermine the national security of the United States and its allies.
The Polisario Front is working with Iranian terrorist groups, receiving drones from the IRGC, and moving weapons around the region on behalf of the Iranian regime, underlined the senators.