The Border 'Problem' - Designed, Not Discovered
THE CLAIM: Mainstream outlets like The Hill are reporting that Nicaragua has made it tougher for Cuban migrants to reach the US southern border. This is framed as a new obstacle, forcing migrants into more dangerous routes and complicating US border policy. THE EVIDENCE: The move by Nicaragua's sandinista government effectively closes a common air route through Managua, which had become a transit
hub for Cubans traveling to the US border. This action comes after a significant uptick in Cuban migration to the US, fueled by ongoing economic hardship in Cuba and the relative ease of passage through Nicaragua, which eliminated visa requirements for Cubans in late 2021. THE CONTRADICTIONS: The narrative presented often overlooks the historical incentives and pressures that shape these migratory
flows. The US, since the 1960s, has maintained a unique immigration policy for Cubans (e.g., the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966), making them, until recently, a favored class of immigrant with a direct path to residency upon reaching US soil. This policy, designed to destabilize the Cuban government by encouraging defection, inherently creates an attraction—a 'pull factor'—that Nicaragua's actions
now manipulate. The current blockage isn't a random act; it's a response to a long-established, albeit often unstated, US foreign policy objective. THE NETWORK: This isn't just about Nicaragua and Cuba. The dynamics of migration in the Americas are deeply intertwined with US foreign policy objectives across the region. When the US seeks to put pressure on a government, as it has perennially done