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.

Clear filters

10,847 decisions / 36,849 findings

Showing 21591–21600

NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

beneficiary's qualifying experience per labor certification

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed that experience not listed on the certified ETA Form 9089 cannot be credited, citing Matter of Leung and Matter of Ho, and rejected counsel's unsupported transmission-error explanation.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO agreed that experience not listed on the certified ETA Form 9089 cannot be credited, citing Matter of Leung and Matter of Ho, and rejected counsel's unsupported transmission-error explanation.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-08_10_B5203; source_row=16337
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

ETA Form 9089 minimum requirements support EB-2 advanced degree classification

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO raised this issue sua sponte beyond the director's decision, finding that the alternative 'any combination of education which equates to a bachelor's degree' permits qualification with less than a bachelor's degree and therefore the labor certification does not require an advanced degree professional.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
AAO raised this issue sua sponte beyond the director's decision, finding that the alternative 'any combination of education which equates to a bachelor's degree' permits qualification with less than a bachelor's degree and therefore the labor certification does not require an advanced degree professional.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-08_10_B5203; source_row=16339
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 about the alien in professional or major trade publications or other major media

Why AAO was not persuaded

The submitted articles either were not about the petitioner, lacked required author/date information, lacked full English translations, or lacked evidence of being published in major media.…

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The submitted articles either were not about the petitioner, lacked required author/date information, lacked full English translations, or lacked evidence of being published in major media. The comparable evidence argument failed because counsel's own submissions contradicted the claim that the criterion doesn't apply to jockeys, and mere mention in an article is not comparable to published material about the alien in major media.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-07_03_B2203; source_row=16314
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Commercial successNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Commercial success

commercial successes in the performing arts

Why AAO was not persuaded

The petitioner's field is not the performing arts, and the race earnings information did not specify the petitioner's actual individual share. The submitted documentation was not comparable to the regulation's requirement of box office receipts or record/cassette/CD/video sales.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The petitioner's field is not the performing arts, and the race earnings information did not specify the petitioner's actual individual share. The submitted documentation was not comparable to the regulation's requirement of box office receipts or record/cassette/CD/video sales.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-07_03_B2203; source_row=16318
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 other significantly high remuneration in relation to others in the field

Why AAO was not persuaded

The race earnings statistics did not specify the petitioner's individual share of the winnings. Mean wage data for the broad 'Athletes and Sports Competitors' category is not a proper comparison to others in the petitioner's specific field. The petitioner needed evidence of actual remuneration compared to top-level jockeys, not an average across a large occupational group.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The race earnings statistics did not specify the petitioner's individual share of the winnings. Mean wage data for the broad 'Athletes and Sports Competitors' category is not a proper comparison to others in the petitioner's specific field. The petitioner needed evidence of actual remuneration compared to top-level jockeys, not an average across a large occupational group.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-07_03_B2203; source_row=16317
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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

None of the submitted documents identified nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards. The 'Leading Jockey' trophies lacked evidence of recognition beyond the local racetracks presenting them, and expert letters merely repeated statutory language without identifying qualifying awards.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
None of the submitted documents identified nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards. The 'Leading Jockey' trophies lacked evidence of recognition beyond the local racetracks presenting them, and expert letters merely repeated statutory language without identifying qualifying awards.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-07_03_B2203; source_row=16313
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role for organizations or establishments with distinguished reputation

Why AAO was not persuaded

The three trainer letters used duplicative language making them of limited probative value, and none stated the petitioner performed in a leading or critical role. Being 'Leading Jockey' at two race seasons and ranking seventh at one track for three months does not constitute a leading or critical role for an organization as a whole. Wikipedia evidence was given no weight. The comparable evidence argument also failed.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The three trainer letters used duplicative language making them of limited probative value, and none stated the petitioner performed in a leading or critical role. Being 'Leading Jockey' at two race seasons and ranking seventh at one track for three months does not constitute a leading or critical role for an organization as a whole. Wikipedia evidence was given no weight. The comparable evidence argument also failed.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-07_03_B2203; source_row=16316
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · High remunerationNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · High remuneration

high salary or other significantly high remuneration

Why AAO was not persuaded

This criterion was abandoned on the prior appeal and may not be raised on motion. Moreover, the only comparative salary evidence consists of improperly translated foreign-language documents with no evidentiary value.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
This criterion was abandoned on the prior appeal and may not be raised on motion. Moreover, the only comparative salary evidence consists of improperly translated foreign-language documents with no evidentiary value.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-07_02_B2203; source_row=16309
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

The resubmitted documents do not establish that excellence in medicine was a criterion for the 2004 award, and the identity/expertise of the 'Board of Judges' remains unestablished. The 2010 certificate evidence is self-promotional and lacks independent corroboration.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The resubmitted documents do not establish that excellence in medicine was a criterion for the 2004 award, and the identity/expertise of the 'Board of Judges' remains unestablished. The 2010 certificate evidence is self-promotional and lacks independent corroboration.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-07_02_B2203; source_row=16307
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWNIW · Well positionedEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

OtherResearcher98 citations

Issue evaluated

NIW · Well positioned

national in scope

Why the evidence was persuasive

The AAO did not dispute the national scope of the petitioner's work, consistent with the director's concession on this point.

Why this is useful

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

View full reasoning +
The AAO did not dispute the national scope of the petitioner's work, consistent with the director's concession on this point.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2013-05-07_02_B5203; source_row=16311
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
← Back to assessment