More than 17 signatures have been collected to grant asylum to Yunier, the Cuban who risked his life to reach the United States.

It all started with a personal request that the young Yunier García not be returned to Cuba, who has been in the news in recent days in much of the world, after risking his life aboard flight 704 on the Havana-Miami route.

The Cuban flew without tickets, successfully bypassing the security protocols of both the island's civil aviation authority and Swift Air, which brought him to U.S. soil after secretly sneaking into the aircraft's cargo hold.

Upon arriving in Miami on Thursday night, the 36-year-old quickly became news, especially due to the various rumors surrounding the possibility of his deportation to the island. While several media outlets initially agreed that he had signed his deportation notice out of nervousness, other media outlets later reported that the Cuban had expressed his intention to seek political asylum, arguing that his physical safety was at risk if he returned to Cuba.

However, one of the key factors in the potential for asylum appears to be the pressure from the Cuban-American community, which has united to demand what they consider an act of justice for someone who risked his life to leave the island.

Yunier's journey has undoubtedly moved the hearts of a significant portion of the Cuban community in the United States, who have rallied and continued to share their news on social media like Facebook and Instagram.

Yunier's support has reached such a point that just a few hours after the first signature, more than 17 signatures have already been registered on the change.org website.

The signatures, as well as the messages left on Facebook, appeal to thousands of people to ensure Yunier is not returned to Cuba, where he would surely face a harsh sentence, rendering this journey, where he risked his life, useless.

Although many might believe that the signatures collected so far are sufficient, this cannot be certain because the anti-immigrant policies implemented by President Donald Trump have not excluded Cubans seeking to reach U.S. soil.

However, the biggest obstacle for Yunier was the one left by former President Barack Obama. After the "wet foot, dry foot" policy was eliminated, according to United States law, the young man must be deported to the island unless he can convince immigration authorities there by claiming credible fear, and then begin the judicial process that could lead to "political asylum."

Immigration authorities have confirmed that García Duarte is in perfect health, and among the many who have supported the young man are the comedians "Pichy Boys", as well as lawyers who have offered to defend his case for free.

On Facebook, there has also been no shortage of Cubans expressing their willingness to help with whatever is needed, and many have even offered him a roof over his head if he needs it.

Amid a pre-election climate where many Cubans are expressing their political differences, the case of Yunier García Duarte has achieved broad consensus within the Cuban-American community.

To sign your change.org petition, you can do so from our website using the following link: Sign here