U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, sent a letter on July 29 to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the U.S. Department of State to establish a region-specific travel advisory that distinguishes Somaliland from Somalia.
In his letter, Cruz said, “The Department currently maintains a Level 4 ‘Do Not Travel’ advisory for Somalia that applies equally to Somaliland. The Department’s website warns Americans not to travel to Somalia because of ‘crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, health, landmines, systematic mistreatment of women, systematic mistreatment of gay and lesbian individuals, piracy, abuse of residents in rehabilitation centers, and confiscation of passports by family members.’ That assessment does not reflect the reality on the ground in Somaliland.”
Cruz continued by saying that “Somaliland has functioned as a stable, self-governing, democratic nation for nearly three decades. Since 2003, it has held multiple peaceful, competitive elections and democratic transfers of power. Somaliland is also a reliable security and diplomatic partner for the United States that advances American interests in the Horn of Africa and beyond.”
He said the current advisory is inaccurate and counterproductive to U.S. national security interests: “Americans deserve travel guidance that reflects the conditions on the ground rather than a one-size-fits-all assessment that fails to distinguish Somaliland’s peaceful governance and security environment from conditions elsewhere in Somalia.”
Cruz urged Secretary Rubio, “to promptly direct Diplomatic Security to conduct a tiered assessment of Somalia and establish a separate region-specific Travel Advisory for Somaliland,” adding that this would provide Americans with more accurate travel guidance while supporting robust engagement with what he called one of America’s most dependable partners in the Horn of Africa.
In August 2025 Cruz sent another letter urging formal recognition of Somaliland as an independent state. Cruz serves in the U.S. Senate representing Texas; he previously served as solicitor general of Texas and clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist on the U.S. Supreme Court; he graduated cum laude from Princeton University and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School; he champions constitutional liberties, according to the official website.