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 21001–21010

NIWNIW · Well positionedNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

national in scope

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the petitioner's benefits as a special educator were limited to students at her school, and therefore so attenuated at the national level as to be negligible. General arguments about the importance of education or the NCLBA's mandates cannot establish national scope for one individual teacher's work. A local-scale contribution to an overall national effort does not meet the NYSDOT threshold.

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

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AAO found that the petitioner's benefits as a special educator were limited to students at her school, and therefore so attenuated at the national level as to be negligible. General arguments about the importance of education or the NCLBA's mandates cannot establish national scope for one individual teacher's work. A local-scale contribution to an overall national effort does not meet the NYSDOT threshold.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-19_02_B5203; source_row=16991
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

national interest substantially greater than U.S. worker

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the reference letters praised the petitioner's teaching abilities and personal character but did not demonstrate impact or influence outside the schools where she worked. Awards and certificates were of only local or institutional significance. The labor shortage argument properly falls under Department of Labor jurisdiction.…

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 that the reference letters praised the petitioner's teaching abilities and personal character but did not demonstrate impact or influence outside the schools where she worked. Awards and certificates were of only local or institutional significance. The labor shortage argument properly falls under Department of Labor jurisdiction. The petitioner failed to establish a past history of demonstrable achievement with some degree of influence on the field as a whole.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-19_02_B5203; source_row=16992
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial intrinsic merit

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO found, consistent with the director, that the petitioner's work as a special educator is in an area of substantial intrinsic merit.

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, consistent with the director, that the petitioner's work as a special educator is in an area of substantial intrinsic merit.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-19_02_B5203; source_row=16990
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial intrinsic merit

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO previously found, and reaffirmed, that the petitioner's work in information systems security and cybersecurity is in an area of intrinsic merit.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO previously found, and reaffirmed, that the petitioner's work in information systems security and cybersecurity is in an area of intrinsic merit.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-19_01_B5203; source_row=16987
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than an available U.S. worker

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner failed to demonstrate a past record of achievement showing influence on the field as a whole. A favorable performance review and employment at innovative cybersecurity companies do not show impact beyond his employers, and an advanced degree and general importance of the field are insufficient to satisfy the third NYSDOT factor.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The petitioner failed to demonstrate a past record of achievement showing influence on the field as a whole. A favorable performance review and employment at innovative cybersecurity companies do not show impact beyond his employers, and an advanced degree and general importance of the field are insufficient to satisfy the third NYSDOT factor.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-19_01_B5203; source_row=16989
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

national in scope

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO previously found, and reaffirmed, that the proposed benefits of the petitioner's work would be national in scope.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO previously found, and reaffirmed, that the proposed benefits of the petitioner's work would be national in scope.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-19_01_B5203; source_row=16988
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · National importanceEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · National importance

substantial intrinsic merit

Why the evidence was persuasive

AAO conceded that the petitioner's work as a special educator is in an area of substantial intrinsic merit, consistent with the director's finding.

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 conceded that the petitioner's work as a special educator is in an area of substantial intrinsic merit, consistent with the director's finding.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-19_03_B5203; source_row=16993
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Waiver on balanceNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · Waiver on balance

national interest substantially greater than available U.S. worker

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the petitioner did not submit documentary evidence indicating that he has impacted the field to a substantially greater degree than other similarly qualified special education teachers. Arguments about labor shortages and the NCLBA's highly qualified teacher standard fall under the Department of Labor's jurisdiction and do not satisfy the NYSDOT standard.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found that the petitioner did not submit documentary evidence indicating that he has impacted the field to a substantially greater degree than other similarly qualified special education teachers. Arguments about labor shortages and the NCLBA's highly qualified teacher standard fall under the Department of Labor's jurisdiction and do not satisfy the NYSDOT standard.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-19_03_B5203; source_row=16995
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social Sciences

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

national in scope

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the petitioner's impact was confined to the local school district and that general arguments about the national importance of education or the NCLBA do not demonstrate that one individual teacher's contributions are national in scope. Future possibilities raised by the Alt-MSA letter could not satisfy eligibility requirements that must be met at the time of filing.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found that the petitioner's impact was confined to the local school district and that general arguments about the national importance of education or the NCLBA do not demonstrate that one individual teacher's contributions are national in scope. Future possibilities raised by the Alt-MSA letter could not satisfy eligibility requirements that must be met at the time of filing.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-19_03_B5203; source_row=16994
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Social SciencesBachelor’s

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

national in scope

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the petitioner's impact was limited to students at her school and thus too attenuated at the national level to qualify. General arguments about educational reform and the importance of teachers as a class did not establish that this individual teacher's work had national scope. The NCLBA did not supersede NYSDOT.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO found that the petitioner's impact was limited to students at her school and thus too attenuated at the national level to qualify. General arguments about educational reform and the importance of teachers as a class did not establish that this individual teacher's work had national scope. The NCLBA did not supersede NYSDOT.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-09-18_01_B5203; source_row=16982
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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