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 16901–16910

EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other25 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material

Why AAO was not persuaded

Citations to the Petitioner's work are not 'about' him; articles from various sources did not mention the Petitioner; required elements (title, date, author) were incomplete; and sources were not shown to be professional or major trade publications or major media.

Why this is useful

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Citations to the Petitioner's work are not 'about' him; articles from various sources did not mention the Petitioner; required elements (title, date, author) were incomplete; and sources were not shown to be professional or major trade publications or major media.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_01_B2203; source_row=21465
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other25 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

The conference award was not shown to be nationally or internationally recognized; academic scholarships are not prizes or awards in a field; patents are not tantamount to nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards; and peer review selection cannot be double-counted under this criterion.

Why this is useful

Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.

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The conference award was not shown to be nationally or internationally recognized; academic scholarships are not prizes or awards in a field; patents are not tantamount to nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards; and peer review selection cannot be double-counted under this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_01_B2203; source_row=21463
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

on balance, beneficial to the United States to waive the job offer requirement

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Petitioner had not demonstrated that obtaining a labor certification would be impractical, that there was an urgent national interest in his research, or that his contributions were of such value that they would benefit the nation even if other qualified U.S. workers were available.

Why this is useful

See which endeavor-specific facts mattered to the waiver analysis beyond a preference to self-petition.

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AAO found the Petitioner had not demonstrated that obtaining a labor certification would be impractical, that there was an urgent national interest in his research, or that his contributions were of such value that they would benefit the nation even if other qualified U.S. workers were available.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_02_B5203; source_row=21474
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found the Petitioner had not demonstrated a record of success or progress in his field, or sufficient interest from relevant parties. Letters of recommendation overstated his role relative to what the study protocols actually showed; evidence of future potential impact did not establish current eligibility; and his individual contributions to joint projects were not sufficiently explained.

Why this is useful

Identify the progress, resources, outside interest, or record-to-plan connection that AAO expected to see.

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AAO found the Petitioner had not demonstrated a record of success or progress in his field, or sufficient interest from relevant parties. Letters of recommendation overstated his role relative to what the study protocols actually showed; evidence of future potential impact did not establish current eligibility; and his individual contributions to joint projects were not sufficiently explained.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_02_B5203; source_row=21473
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsReservedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other25 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

What the decision said

AAO explicitly declined to conduct a final merits determination because the Petitioner did not meet the threshold evidentiary criteria, but noted in dicta that the aggregate record does not demonstrate the required level of expertise.

Why this is useful

Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.

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AAO explicitly declined to conduct a final merits determination because the Petitioner did not meet the threshold evidentiary criteria, but noted in dicta that the aggregate record does not demonstrate the required level of expertise.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_01_B2203; source_row=21469
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other25 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO concurred with the Director that the Petitioner met this criterion based on manuscript review evidence for professional publications.

Why this is useful

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AAO concurred with the Director that the Petitioner met this criterion based on manuscript review evidence for professional publications.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_01_B2203; source_row=21466
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other25 papers

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO agreed that the Petitioner authored articles published in professional journals, satisfying this criterion.

Why this is useful

See how AAO evaluated whether the work qualified as scholarly authorship and what it showed in the full record.

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AAO agreed that the Petitioner authored articles published in professional journals, satisfying this criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_01_B2203; source_row=21468
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial merit and national importance

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found the research endeavor has both substantial merit and national importance, given documented widespread worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica, health and financial costs, and dissemination of results through publications and conferences. However, AAO found the mentorship activities did not satisfy national importance because they would not impact environmental health education more broadly.

Why this is useful

Compare how the decision separates a broadly important field from the prospective impact of the applicant’s specific work.

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AAO found the research endeavor has both substantial merit and national importance, given documented widespread worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica, health and financial costs, and dissemination of results through publications and conferences. However, AAO found the mentorship activities did not satisfy national importance because they would not impact environmental health education more broadly.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_02_B5203; source_row=21472
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

Schedule A Group I notice of posting

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO independently found (not raised by the Director) that because the Beneficiary's worksite was listed as one of four Oregon locations 'or a yet unknown worksite,' the Petitioner was required to post notice at all current client worksites. It only posted at four identified sites, not all current client worksites, failing the regulatory notice requirement.

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AAO independently found (not raised by the Director) that because the Beneficiary's worksite was listed as one of four Oregon locations 'or a yet unknown worksite,' the Petitioner was required to post notice at all current client worksites. It only posted at four identified sites, not all current client worksites, failing the regulatory notice requirement.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_01_B5203; source_row=21471
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

ability to pay proffered wage

Why AAO was not persuaded

The consolidated financial statements were tainted by inclusion of a separate nonprofit entity's accounts; the IRS tax return showed a net loss of over $1.3 million and negative net current assets; potential income from future employees was speculative and did not address the hundreds of pending beneficiaries living abroad who could not yet generate income; and the CFO letter alone was insufficient given the scale of pendin…

Why this is useful

Use the reasoning to identify the specific factual or documentary gap AAO considered material.

View full reasoning +
The consolidated financial statements were tainted by inclusion of a separate nonprofit entity's accounts; the IRS tax return showed a net loss of over $1.3 million and negative net current assets; potential income from future employees was speculative and did not address the hundreds of pending beneficiaries living abroad who could not yet generate income; and the CFO letter alone was insufficient given the scale of pending petitions.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2017-06-13_01_B5203; source_row=21470
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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