Externalization of migration governance by the European Union and the rent effects produced by these international negotiations have dominated research on Jordan's migration policy. These studies question Jordan's sovereignty, assuming its policy is the result of an imposition by Northern countries, or at best, its ability to benefit from it. The study of political change at the time of the closure of the Jordan-Syria border in 2016 helps to nuance these theories. Indeed, this article demonstrates that the closure was the result of a Jordanian political decision, and an implementation enabled by both funding for the militarization of the border and a delegation to Northern partners.