Source-backed decision research

Explore how AAO evaluates evidence.

Search a substantial collection of case-specific reasoning, then narrow it by petition, field, legal issue, or date.

This expanded collection favors source-backed access over perfect automated classification. Fields, labels, summaries, and relevance may contain errors; records marked ‘broader context’ need extra care. Review the cited source before relying on any record. These appeals and motions do not show approval odds or denial rates, and are not legal advice or a prediction.

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10,847 decisions / 36,849 findings

Showing 11951–11960

EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the inclusion of 'national' or 'international' in competition titles does not automatically establish recognition, and the background and objective evidence about the competitions was very limited. AAO also noted an unresolved discrepancy regarding the 1983 First Class Athlete certificate issued when the Petitioner was eight or nine years old.

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AAO found that the inclusion of 'national' or 'international' in competition titles does not automatically establish recognition, and the background and objective evidence about the competitions was very limited. AAO also noted an unresolved discrepancy regarding the 1983 First Class Athlete certificate issued when the Petitioner was eight or nine years old.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-04_01_B2203; source_row=27137
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

participation as a judge of the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed the record supports that the Petitioner met this criterion.

Why this is useful

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AAO agreed the record supports that the Petitioner met this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-04_01_B2203; source_row=27139
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManager

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination — sustained national or international acclaim at top of field

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that despite satisfying four step-1 criteria, the totality of the evidence showed the petitioner had not achieved sustained national or international acclaim. Her awards lacked demonstrated prestige; her media coverage was largely local; her judging experience was limited and involved unknown-level photographers; her exhibitions were mostly small local events; her roles for organizations did not establish leading/…

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AAO found that despite satisfying four step-1 criteria, the totality of the evidence showed the petitioner had not achieved sustained national or international acclaim. Her awards lacked demonstrated prestige; her media coverage was largely local; her judging experience was limited and involved unknown-level photographers; her exhibitions were mostly small local events; her roles for organizations did not establish leading/critical roles in entities with distinguished reputations; and her remuneration evidence did not reflect sustained top-level earnings.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-03_03_B2203; source_row=27129
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO conducted an independent final merits review and concluded the totality of evidence did not establish sustained acclaim or placement among the small percentage at the very top of the field. Awards were limited, media coverage modest, contributions lacked field-wide impact, and earnings were below average.

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AAO conducted an independent final merits review and concluded the totality of evidence did not establish sustained acclaim or placement among the small percentage at the very top of the field. Awards were limited, media coverage modest, contributions lacked field-wide impact, and earnings were below average.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-03_04_B2203; source_row=27136
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Original contributionsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Original contributions

original contributions of major significance

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that the letters did not offer sufficiently detailed information and lacked adequate corroborating documentation to show original contributions of major significance. Patents demonstrated originality but not field-wide impact, and lectures reached only a small number of students without broader industry influence.

Why this is useful

Distinguish original work from evidence that the contribution had major significance across the field.

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AAO agreed that the letters did not offer sufficiently detailed information and lacked adequate corroborating documentation to show original contributions of major significance. Patents demonstrated originality but not field-wide impact, and lectures reached only a small number of students without broader industry influence.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-03_04_B2203; source_row=27132
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or remuneration

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Petitioner's earnings attributable to his industrial design field (~$71,560) were approximately $3,000 below the mean salary in his area per BLS data, and that comparing to mean/median salaries does not adequately show high salary in relation to others in the field.

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AAO found the Petitioner's earnings attributable to his industrial design field (~$71,560) were approximately $3,000 below the mean salary in his area per BLS data, and that comparing to mean/median salaries does not adequately show high salary in relation to others in the field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-03_04_B2203; source_row=27135
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO had previously withdrawn the Director's finding that this criterion was met, citing unresolved inconsistencies in the supporting letter (conflicting dates for judging certification and start of judging activities) and a lack of independent objective evidence of actual participation as a judge. On motion, the Petitioner did not establish this withdrawal was legal error.

Why this is useful

See how invitations, completed assignments, and the nature of judging were documented and weighed.

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AAO had previously withdrawn the Director's finding that this criterion was met, citing unresolved inconsistencies in the supporting letter (conflicting dates for judging certification and start of judging activities) and a lack of independent objective evidence of actual participation as a judge. On motion, the Petitioner did not establish this withdrawal was legal error.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-03_01_B2203; source_row=27121
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · MembershipNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Membership

membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements

Why AAO was not persuaded

The Petitioner argued that his 'Master of Sport in WTKA Kickboxing' title should qualify as membership in an association requiring outstanding achievements, but AAO found insufficient evidence that recipients of this title are granted membership to any group of any type.

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The Petitioner argued that his 'Master of Sport in WTKA Kickboxing' title should qualify as membership in an association requiring outstanding achievements, but AAO found insufficient evidence that recipients of this title are granted membership to any group of any type.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-03_01_B2203; source_row=27119
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material in major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

Three of four submitted articles reported on competition results of groups of athletes and were not 'about' the Petitioner individually. The one article that was about the Petitioner appeared on a regional sporting internet portal that the Petitioner did not establish qualified as major media, as he provided no comparative circulation data.

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Three of four submitted articles reported on competition results of groups of athletes and were not 'about' the Petitioner individually. The one article that was about the Petitioner appeared on a regional sporting internet portal that the Petitioner did not establish qualified as major media, as he provided no comparative circulation data.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-03_01_B2203; source_row=27120
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherManager

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found the petitioner satisfied this criterion because the InStyle Magazine article about her and her work qualified as major media, supported by Comscore circulation statistics. The director erred by misattributing the source of the circulation statistics.

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AAO found the petitioner satisfied this criterion because the InStyle Magazine article about her and her work qualified as major media, supported by Comscore circulation statistics. The director erred by misattributing the source of the circulation statistics.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2021-03-03_03_B2203; source_row=27124
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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