Managua's Augusto C. Sandino International Airport has become a lucrative source of income for Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo regime, as the country serves as a transit point for thousands of Haitian migrants on their way to the United States. The influx of desperate travelers has resulted in millions of dollars in aircraft landing fees and entry charges imposed by the regime.

According to migration expert Manuel Orozco, between August and October 2023, over 30,000 Haitians arrived in Managua on more than 260 charter flights, making up nearly 60% of all U.S.-Mexico border Haitian arrivals. Similar numbers were observed for flights from Havana to Managua. The absence of an entry visa requirement for Haitians and Cubans in Nicaragua has contributed to the high number of arrivals.

The Ortega-Murillo regime's most profitable aspect in the immigration business is the entry tax on Haitians, which has also been extended to Cubans. While the standard tourist fee for foreigners entering Nicaragua is $10, migrants are charged an exorbitant and arbitrary $150-$200 entry fee. The process is highly subjective and lacks proper documentation, making it susceptible to corruption.

These fees have resulted in a significant windfall for the regime. If the 31,000 Haitians who recently entered Nicaragua paid a $150 fee each, it would mean that the Ortega-Murillo regime has raked in approximately $4.65 million from these vulnerable migrants.

Moreover, the influx of charter flights from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and other destinations has also contributed to the regime's revenue. With an average of 18 charters landing daily, each paying a $2,000 landing fee, the regime's daily revenue from these flights reaches $36,000, totaling $1.08 million per month. Additionally, a departure tax on charter flights, which is inappropriate for one-way tickets like those purchased by migrants, further adds to the regime's revenue, estimated at $1.37 million from the recent influx of Haitians alone.

The Sandino International Airport faced a liquidity crisis in the past, but a significant increase in Cuban arrivals on charter and commercial flights, as well as the resumption of some flights from the U.S., helped the airport turn a profit of $4.16 million in 2022. However, concerns have been raised by the United States about the increase in charter flights from Haiti to Nicaragua amid the ongoing crisis in the impoverished nation.

The U.S. Embassy in Haiti has discouraged Haitians from making the trip, emphasizing safer and less expensive options such as the humanitarian parole program that allows for legal immigration. U.S. officials have voiced concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable migrants, stating that those who profit from irregular migration will face consequences.

Critics accuse the Ortega-Murillo regime of intentionally facilitating the migration crisis as a form of attack against the United States. With tensions between the two countries high, the exploitation of migrants for financial gain has raised significant concerns and prompted calls for accountability.

As the situation unfolds, the impact of the regime's profiting from vulnerable Haitian migrants continues to draw scrutiny both domestically and internationally.