While Santería is believed to have existed in the United States as early as the late 19th Century, it was not until 1959 and the pro-Castro revolution that a large influx of Cuban exiles made their way into this country (De La Torre 2004:176).  Still, many of these emigrants were white, upper to middle class individuals, most of whom were not practitioners of the religion.

The Mariel boatlift in 1980, however, brought with it a larger number of exiles of middle to lower class.  "Many among them, more so than the Cuban-Americans here for generations, practiced Santería." says Chloe Cabrera.  These more recent immigrants spread through the United States, concentrating in such places as New York, New Jersey, Washington, DC and, of course, Florida.  George Brandon in his book Santería from Africa to the New World surmises that, of these immigrants, "Some were devotees in Cuba, but more seem to have become involved after leaving the island.  Santería now almost certainly has more devotees in the United States than it had in Cuba at the time of the revolution" (Brandon 1993:104).

Despite the fact that the constitution of this country guarantees religious freedom, practitioners of Santería have had to continue to fight to practice their faith.  Popular images of Santería and its counterparts like Voodoo/Vodoun are often misunderstood and misconceived by those not familiar with the religion.  They are seen as being "dark" and "mysterious" and receive little better than a cult status.  I would speculate that, like many other things, ignorance and a lack of understanding have created a negative image.  The fact that Santería can and does involve animal sacrifice has further added to the general sense of misconception.

The Church of Lukumi, based in Hialeah, Florida was at the center of a legal case that went all the way to the U. S. Supreme Court.  Animal sacrifice was the issue of contention with the City of Hialeah's City Counsel putting ordinances in place that effectively made it illegal for practitioners of Santería to perform ebbós that required animal sacrifice.  Leaders of the Church argued that the animals were being slaughtered in such a way that was humane and no different than Kosher practices and that they were being singled out.  Apparently, the Supreme Court agreed because the ordinances were deemed to be unconstitutional in their 1992 ruling.

The Supreme Court's ruling has served, in a way, to give Santería a sense of public respect.  At the very least, the judgment has helped to guarantee religious freedom even in the face of public opinion.  Moreover, the religion has gained an increased following, bringing in members from Hispanic, Caucasian and African populations.  For those of African descent, it has become a way of connecting back to their roots.

Throne dedicated to Shangó.  It is common for offerings of food, candles, money and liquor to be placed on the throne, along with symbols related to the particular orisha.
Image sourced from http://ilarioba.tripod.com.