What You Need to Know About Cuban Migration

Fact Sheet
Written By CEDA The Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas

Key Figures

  • In 2025, Cubans were the third-largest asylum-seeking nationality worldwide. Cuba generated roughly 5.3 asylum claims per 1,000 inhabitants.

  • Cuban asylum applications have surged in Latin America and Europe since 2021: In 2025, the largest numbers were recorded in Brazil (44,381 applications), Mexico (38,598), and Uruguay (26,626).

  • At least 3,757 Cubans were deported from the US to third countries in 2025.

  • At least 1,379 Cubans were deported from the US to Cuba in 2025.

  • 500,000+ Cubans in the US are in legal limbo and at risk of detention and deportation.

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Learn More

Cuban Migration Timeline
Explore the major waves of Cuban migration, how they compare over time, and the key U.S. policy changes that have shaped Cubans’ legal status in the US and abroad.

Cuban Migration Numbers
Track monthly data on Cuban deportations, migrant detainees at Guantánamo Bay, and the evolving legal status of Cubans in the US.

CEDA The Center for Engagement and Advocacy in the Americas
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