In 1869, James Jennett claimed the bank for the United States under the Guano Islands Act of 1856.

Unlike some islands included in the treaty ceded to Colombia, the United States regarded Quita Sueño Bank as having no emergent land and thus ineligible for the basis of a sovereignty claim.

[1] Colombia, which had also made previous claims on the reef, considers the bank to be a part of its San Andres and Providencia Department.

[2] The location is named Cayo Quitasueño on the official nautical chart at 14°28′57.2298″N 81°7′39.7632″W / 14.482563833°N 81.127712000°W / 14.482563833; -81.127712000, but no emergent land is indicated around the lighthouse.

[6] The ICJ found that only one of the 54 features identified by Nicaragua in Quitasueño is an island at high tide and thus eligible for a sovereignty claim.