LANSING, MI
CUBA
Cultural Backgrounder
Cuba
CAUSES OF THE REFUGEE PROBLEM
2014
There are well over one million Cubans living within the United States,
which is about 1/10 of the population of Cuba. About half are living in
Florida, and the other half are spread across the U.S. Most Cubans in the
U.S. are both legally and self-described political refugees. There have been
three waves of large amounts of Cubans fleeing to the U.S. The first
occurred after the revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959, and about 50,000
Cubans fled during the first two years of his rule. The second wave of
refugees came to the U.S. during the 1960’s - mid 1980’s due to political
and economic hardship in Cuba. The third wave occurred after the
dissolution of the USSR and laws changed to allow at least 20,000 Cubans
into the U.S. per year.
Cultural Facts
Experiences of the Refugee Population

The official language is
Spanish.
While entrants from other countries have been required to demonstrate that
they were fleeing political persecution to be granted refugee status, it was
officially assumed that anyone arriving in the United States from Cuba was
a bona fide refugee and therefore had automatic access to the special
benefits that refugees are entitled to. Cuban entrants have had other special
privileges as well; since 1966, for example, the Attorney General has had
discretionary power to guarantee permanent residency to any Cuban who
has been in the United States for a year, including those on visitor’s visas
who have overstayed the period delineated in their visas.

Cuban music is a distinctive
combination of Spanish and
African elements.

The Cuban literacy rate is
99.8%.

Sugar has always been
Cuba’s dominant crop.
An agreement made between the Clinton administration and Cuba in 1995
created a “wet foot/dry foot” practice. This means that Cubans who do not
reach the shores of the U.S. are returned to Cuba unless they can cite fears
of persecution. Those that do reach the shore are generally allowed to stay
in the U.S.

The
traditional
Cuban
household
consists
of
extended family residing
together.
CULTURAL BACKGROUNDER
| CUBA
REFUGEES COME FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE
2
Characteristics of the Refugee Population
Cuba is an archipelago made up of some 1600 islands in the Caribbean
Sea, roughly 90 miles south of Florida. The largest island-Cuba itself-is
a long, narrow island covering about 41,00 square miles, approximately
the same size as Pennsylvania. Running roughly west to east, Cuba
forms a boundary between the Atlantic and the Caribbean.
Countless numbers of Cuban refugees have
attempted to reach the United States
through a dangerous ocean journey. Many
have not made it.
If Cubans fleeing to the U.S. are intercepted
at sea, they can be returned to Cuba or
placed in a third location. If they reach the
U.S., they are generally permitted to stay.
FAST FACTS
Over
1,000,000
Cubans live in the United States.
Cubans have a very strong sense of cultural identity. This sense of
cultural identity comes partially from a sense of place – Cuba as an
island has clearly defined boundaries – and partially from the
homogeneity of language and shared culture. It is a major factor in the
stability of the Cuban community in the United States.
As a communist state, Cuba has restricted many freedoms on its people.
When Fidel Castro took power in 1959, the first wave of refugees, who
were mostly followers of the previous leader, began. Between 1962 and
1979, hundreds of thousands of Cubans entered the U.S. through the
Attorney General’s parole authority. In 1980, the Mariel boatlift
brought about 125,000 Cubans to the U.S. over a six-month period.
After declining for several years, the Cuban “boat people” trying to
reach the U.S. shore steadily rose in the early 1990’s to almost 40,000
people in 1994.
The revolutionary government’s inflexible attitude toward dissent, and
its imperviousness to demands that dissenters make, probably constitute
the greatest push factors: Cubans who are unhappy have no reason to
believe they can effect changes in their lives. Another strong push
factor for the recent wave of newcomers is the economic situations and
scarcity of crucially necessary goods, such as medicine.
The Cuban government has been formally supportive of organized
religion – religious freedom is guaranteed in the 1976 constitution – but
in practice, it is very difficult to practice one’s religion openly and
succeed in Cuban society. There is no independent press or right to
independent assembly. Cubans are also not able to debate issues
publicly.
No less than
20,000
Cubans are allowed to relocate to the
U.S. per year.
FOR MORE INFORMAITON:
Contact the Refugee Development Center at:
122 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
Lansing, MI 48912
(517) 253-8025
[email protected]
www.unhcr.org
Or visit our website at:
www.refugeesinternational.org
www.refugeedevelopmentcenter.org