Operation Peter Pan was a secretive migration of over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban minors to the United States between 1960 and 1962, spurred by unverified rumors that Castro planned to place children into communist indoctrination centers. Driven by fears based on these rumors, parents sent their children to the U.S. to protect them from possible governmental control. The operation involved large-scale coordination, where children were flown mainly to Miami and placed under the care of agencies like the Catholic Welfare Bureau. The misinformation campaign, allegedly fueled by the CIA, added significant tension between anti-Castro sentiments in the U.S. and the Cuban communist government.
The operation was the largest refugee movement of children in the Western Hemisphere at the time, with government and private support aiding the movement. As many children struggled to adapt, communities and resources were set up to foster integration and care, despite mixed success. The program was revealed to the public in 1962, prompting shifts in immigration policies and societal perceptions of Cuban immigrants. As the Cold War intensified, Operation Peter Pan became a symbol of the ideological battle between communism and democracy, raising questions about governmental motives and the lasting impact on the immigrant community.