Sen. Cruz Sends Letter Urging Region-Specific Travel Advisory for Somaliland

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, sent a letter 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.

Below are highlights and excerpts from the letter:

"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.

"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 advance American interests in the Horn of Africa and beyond.

"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 onesize-fits-all assessment that fails to distinguish Somaliland's peaceful governance and security environment from conditions elsewhere in Somalia.

"I urge you to promptly direct Diplomatic Security to conduct a tiered assessment of Somalia and establish a separate, region-specific Travel Advisory for Somaliland. Doing so would provide Americans with more accurate travel guidance while supporting robust engagement with one of our most dependable partners in the Horn of Africa."

Click here to read the full letter.

BACKGROUND:

In August 2025, Sen. Cruz sent a letter to President Trump urging the administration to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent state.