Lisneidis Figueroa Ramos did not know she had a deportation order until she checked the immigration portal looking for the date of her next hearing. Her case became a binding legal precedent at the national level this Monday after a ruling by the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) that could benefit thousands of immigrants in similar situations.
"I was given a deportation order without notification, without anything."
The young Cuban shared her story, visibly emotional, in a video posted by the profile of TikTok Alianzas USA.
"My name is Lisneidis Figueroa Ramos. I am the girl from the case that set a legal precedent in the country, where judges cannot issue a deportation order for not paying the asylum fee," she said.
He had submitted his asylum application to an immigration court in Texas in January 2025. In February 2026, a judge ordered him to pay a $102 annual asylum fee, established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed by Trump on July 4, 2025.
The notification never reached his hands.
“I was issued a deportation order in absentia, without notification, without anything,” he declared.
Without a lawyer and without having received notice, he did not pay within the 30-day deadline. The judge declared his request abandoned and issued the deportation order.
“I went and hired attorney Nera Sheffer and her team from Alianzas, where she filed an appeal to the BIA, we won the case at the BIA, and it became a precedent,” she explained.
"In my case, it is the situation that is currently going viral across the country. I'm nervous, please forgive me a little, but I am completely grateful to lawyer Nera and her team," she concluded, appearing nervous yet relieved.
The lawyer explains the ruling and its implications
The lawyer Nera Sheffer, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, announced the victory in detail:
"Good evening, this is lawyer Nera Sheffer, and I have some great news. Today we won a case that sets a national precedent, called the Matter of LFR, Lisneidis Figueroa Ramos, a Cuban citizen who applied for asylum."
Sheffer described how the deportation order came about: "Thirty days after the judge had ordered him to pay those 102 dollars, the judge issued a removal order, denying him not only asylum but also issuing a deportation order."
It was then that Lisneidis contacted her: “Liz Nevis calls us and says, lawyer, I have a deportation order, I didn’t receive the notification that I had to pay the 102 dollars and now I have a deportation order, what should I do? I told her, let’s appeal.”
The BIA ruled in favor of the Cuban on July 24, 2026. Sheffer summarized the key legal distinction:
"What the BIA stated was that I was correct in arguing that the 102 dollars apply to the portion of the I-589 related to asylum. However, it does not apply to the portion concerning withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture."
Who can benefit and how should they act?
The ruling, identified as Matter of L-F-R- (29 I&N Dec. 787), is binding for the entire U.S. immigration system. The Department of Homeland Security had opposed the appeal.
Sheffer was direct about the practical implications: "If a judge issued a deportation order against you or a loved one for not paying the 102 dollars, with this precedent, you can reopen your case, file a motion to reopen, overturn that deportation order, and allow the court to hear the portion regarding withholding of removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture in the United States."
The lawyer also clarified the distinction that every applicant should be aware of: "Note that you have to pay 102 dollars every year that your asylum is pending. However, the portion related to withholding and protection under the Convention Against Torture is not subject to that 102 dollars."
The impact on the Cuban community
The figures illustrate the magnitude of the problem. In Florida alone, approximately 4,007 deportation orders were issued against Cubans in the first two quarters of fiscal year 2026, and nationwide it is estimated that about 42,000 Cubans have active deportation orders.
Those who lost their asylum due to the non-payment of the 102 dollars could find in this precedent a legal avenue, albeit with stricter conditions: Withholding of Removal and protection under the Convention Against Torture do not grant permanent residency or benefits to family members, but they do prevent deportation to the country of origin.
The ruling from the BIA that could benefit thousands of Cubans has remanded Lisneidis' case back to the Texas court to evaluate her request for a stay of deportation and protection under the Convention Against Torture, partially reversing the order that threatened to send her back to Cuba.
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