The first wave of Cuban refugees, mostly wealthy and educated individuals, arrived in the United States between 1960 and 1962. Many settled in Miami, Florida, which would become the hub of Cuban-American communities. The U.S. government, eager to undermine Castro's regime, welcomed these refugees, providing them with financial assistance and support.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Cubans continued to flee the island, often using makeshift rafts to cross the treacherous Straits of Florida. These "rafters" faced enormous risks, including dehydration, sun exposure, and encounters with sharks and Coast Guard patrols.

In 1980, Castro permitted the departure of over 125,000 Cubans, including dissidents, artists, and intellectuals, who sailed to the United States on homemade boats. The Mariel boatlift, named after the port of Mariel, was marked by tragedy, as many Cubans died at sea or were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard.