FOLLOWING PAGES
History
European Discovery: 1492
The Colonial Period: 1511-1895
The War of Independence and U.S. Occupation: 1895-1902
The Republic: 1902-1959
Fidel Castro and the Revolution
The Revolutionary Government, 1959-63
The 1960s
The 1970s
The 1980s
The 1990s

There have been three basic waves of Cubans coming to the U.S.

All the Cubans detained at Guantánamo have entered the United States.

Soon After the Revolution (1959-early 1960s)

The Cubans who came to the United States during this period were undocumented and were welcomed by Americans as heroes who believed in values (such as capitalism) that were similar to those of most Americans. Further, these newcomers were thought to be similar to white, middle class Americans: businessmen, government officials, professionals, and managers and their families. Many were pro-United States and had had contacts with this country prior to arriving. Many wealthier Cuban families came here, both because they disagreed with the goals and methods of the revolution, and because it was the only way to salvage their financial assets. In addition to money, many brought with them skills, education, contacts, and intact families, all of which facilitated their adjustment to the United States. Many of these, however, originally viewed their stay in the United States as temporary and assumed they would be returning to Cuba. These individuals, now in their 60s or older, have by and large been successful here, creating a strong community that is proud of its heritage. Many hold strong anti-Castro opinions and lobby American politicians to keep the pressure on the Castro government to bring it down.

Mid-Revolution (mid-1960s to mid-1980s)

The Cubans who emigrated to the United States during this period came for both political and economic reasons. They tended to be disillusioned with the direction or pace of change in Cuba within the revolution, as distinct from the earlier arrivals that were against the revolution in toto. The economic refugees in this wave tended to be less educated and less well off than the earlier wave and included "undesirables" such as criminals (political and otherwise), homosexuals, and mentally ill persons that Castro had taken advantage of the situation to expel from Cuba.

This was of course the period of the Mariel boatlift, which we will discuss below in the context of Cuban history. This group of Cubans, which became known as the Marielitos, arrived in the U.S. during an economic low period and were met with resentment and fear by both the U.S. public and the Cuban-American community. The fear was mainly a result of press and media accounts that sensationalized the existence in the group of the "undesirables," although subsequent more serious study of the Marielitos showed that the image was not a correct one. (Only about 1% turned out to be criminals by our standards, and that 1% was permanently detained and subject to deportation.) In fact, the Marielitos' overall education and job skills were similar to those of the general population in Cuba at the time and of many of the earlier Cuban arrivals. The Mariel entrants did include substantially more younger persons, mulattos, and blacks, however.

Post-USSR Dissolution

The most recent wave of Cubans to the United States peaked in the summer of 1994. We will describe below the events that prompted some 33,000 Cubans to flee Cuba for the United States as well as the subsequent precedent-breaking American decision to refuse them entry.

As of the end of March, 1996, all 30,983 Cubans detained at Guantánamo have entered the United States as parolees. There is a perception that this latest wave of Cubans is in general well-educated, professional, and motivated, and they seem to be being absorbed into the community in Miami with a minimum of problems.

For the moment, Cuban immigration into the United States is proceeding more or less through official Cuban channels. An agreement reached between the United States and Cuba in September, 1994, expands the number of legal Cuban immigrants to 20,000 per year. About half of these immigrants have parolee rather than immigrant status in the United States, since they are admitted through the use of the Attorney General's parole authority. As parolees, they are eligible for refugee benefits and services not available to immigrants.

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