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 22991–23000

EB-1AEB-1A · Leading / critical roleNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Leading / critical role

leading or critical role

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO held the recommendation letters were vague, lacked organizational charts or comparisons to other employees, and described the petitioner as 'instrumental' or 'important' rather than leading or critical. Additionally, the petitioner only claimed eligibility based on a single organization, failing the plural requirement.

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AAO held the recommendation letters were vague, lacked organizational charts or comparisons to other employees, and described the petitioner as 'instrumental' or 'important' rather than leading or critical. Additionally, the petitioner only claimed eligibility based on a single organization, failing the plural requirement.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-14_02_B2203; source_row=14636
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot established

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO withdrew the director's finding. The submitted articles failed to meet the criterion because they either did not identify the author, were not primarily about the petitioner, or were not accompanied by evidence of publication in major media.

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The AAO withdrew the director's finding. The submitted articles failed to meet the criterion because they either did not identify the author, were not primarily about the petitioner, or were not accompanied by evidence of publication in major media.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-14_01_B2203; source_row=14625
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
NIWotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Computer Science / AI

Issue evaluated

other

Ability to pay proffered wage

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO affirmed that the petitioner failed to establish ability to pay, but grounded its analysis additionally in the petitioner's obligation to pay all simultaneously pending beneficiaries. Even though net income and net current assets exceeded the single proffered wage, the combined shortfall across hundreds of pending petitions far exceeded both metrics.…

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AAO affirmed that the petitioner failed to establish ability to pay, but grounded its analysis additionally in the petitioner's obligation to pay all simultaneously pending beneficiaries. Even though net income and net current assets exceeded the single proffered wage, the combined shortfall across hundreds of pending petitions far exceeded both metrics. AAO also noted the director incorrectly used the wrong net income line on Schedule K.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-14_01_B5203; source_row=14631
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Published materialNot pursuedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Published material

published material about the alien

What the decision said

Counsel did not contest the director's findings on this criterion on appeal, so AAO considered the issue abandoned.

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Counsel did not contest the director's findings on this criterion on appeal, so AAO considered the issue abandoned.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-14_02_B2203; source_row=14633
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AotherNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

other

intent to continue work in area of expertise

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO concurred with the director: no letters from prospective employers, contracts, or statement of plans were in the record.

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AAO concurred with the director: no letters from prospective employers, contracts, or statement of plans were in the record.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-14_02_B2203; source_row=14637
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Final meritsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Final merits

final merits determination

Why AAO was not persuaded

The AAO found that the petitioner's evidence — deficient published materials, judging experience limited to trainees and students at her former supervisor's request and at her alma mater, a single peer review, and four co-authored articles without citation evidence — did not establish sustained national or international acclaim or that she is among the very top of her field.

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The AAO found that the petitioner's evidence — deficient published materials, judging experience limited to trainees and students at her former supervisor's request and at her alma mater, a single peer review, and four co-authored articles without citation evidence — did not establish sustained national or international acclaim or that she is among the very top of her field.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-14_01_B2203; source_row=14630
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · Scholarly authorshipEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Scholarly authorship

authorship of scholarly articles

Why the evidence was persuasive

The AAO affirmed the director's determination that the petitioner's co-authorship of four published articles satisfies the plain language requirements of the criterion.

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The AAO affirmed the director's determination that the petitioner's co-authorship of four published articles satisfies the plain language requirements of the criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-14_01_B2203; source_row=14628
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · JudgingEstablishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Medicine / Clinical

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Judging

judging the work of others

Why the evidence was persuasive

The AAO affirmed the director's finding that the documentation — judging trainee presentations, evaluating student seminars, and peer-reviewing a manuscript — satisfies the plain language requirements of the criterion.

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The AAO affirmed the director's finding that the documentation — judging trainee presentations, evaluating student seminars, and peer-reviewing a manuscript — satisfies the plain language requirements of the criterion.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-14_01_B2203; source_row=14626
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 with distinguished reputation

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO agreed with the director that the petitioner failed to show the organization had a distinguished reputation, noting that securing government grants is not necessarily evidence of an organization's reputation. AAO also noted the regulation requires a leading role for organizations in the plural, and the petitioner showed only one such organization.

Why this is useful

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AAO agreed with the director that the petitioner failed to show the organization had a distinguished reputation, noting that securing government grants is not necessarily evidence of an organization's reputation. AAO also noted the regulation requires a leading role for organizations in the plural, and the petitioner showed only one such organization.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-13_02_B2203; source_row=14611
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
EB-1AEB-1A · AwardsNot establishedAutomated extraction · broader context

Case facts

Other

Issue evaluated

EB-1A · Awards

nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards

Why AAO was not persuaded

AAO found that the translations were not certified as full translations as required, that the awards lacked information about competitive categories and number of participants, that one award came from a public awareness campaign rather than a musical competition, that the petitioner appeared ineligible for one competition based on age, and that another award lacked evidence of national or international recognition.

Why this is useful

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AAO found that the translations were not certified as full translations as required, that the awards lacked information about competitive categories and number of participants, that one award came from a public awareness campaign rather than a musical competition, that the petitioner appeared ineligible for one competition based on age, and that another award lacked evidence of national or international recognition.
Exact record locator: findings_long.parquet filename_stem=2012-06-13_02_B2203; source_row=14606
Revision: 081d2cac29dcadfec88fdd675d7a0c4294d72b3c
Open source dataset ↗
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