The Petitioner, an attorney, proposes to operate an advisory firm providing immigration legal services, AI-powered technology solutions, and workforce development training to small law firms and legal professionals. She also plans to consult with other firms on integrating AI tools to improve operational efficiency and access to justice.

Prong 1 — national importancenot established · dispositive

“the record does not contain sufficient evidence to support the Petitioner's assertions of the national or global impact of her proposed endeavor on AI or the legal field.”

“the record establishes the impact of her proposed endeavor is limited to her clients or those who use her services.”

“the relevant question is not the importance of the field in which the individual will work; instead, we focus on the 'the specific endeavor that the [Petitioner] proposes to undertake'”

“the record does not provide evidentiary support for the stated financial projections to demonstrate how these numbers were calculated”

“the Petitioner has not offered sufficient evidence that her business will be located in an opportunity zone, participate in the program, or how it will impact an opportunity zone community”

“the record does not establish the staffing levels, business activity, or location of the company stand to provide the economic impact Dhanasar requires.”

AAO decision text

How the evidence was treated

• business plan · discounted

  “the record does not provide evidentiary support for the stated financial projections to demonstrate how these numbers were calculated”

  AAO decision text
• recommendation letter · discounted

  “this letter emphasizes the challenges in integrating AI into the legal field and the Petitioner's role in their project; not the broader implications of the Petitioner's proposed endeavor.”

  AAO decision text
• other · discounted

  “it does not further the Petitioner's claim of her proposed endeavor's national importance.”

  AAO decision text
• other · discounted

  “the letters in the record do not discuss the prospective impact of the Petitioner's proposed endeavor, they do not further establish the national importance of her proposed endeavor.”

  AAO decision text
• degree · credited

Where this case turned

• Business plan speculative · p1 — projections without a documented basis or steps
• Economic claims unsupported · p1 — job/revenue projections with no corroborating basis
• Field importance conflated with endeavor · p1 — argues the field matters, not the specific endeavor
• Local, not national scope · p1 — impact confined to clients / a region

Notable

The AAO found substantial merit under prong 1 but denied on national importance alone, making this a split prong-1 decision. The decision explicitly redirected letters about the Petitioner's previously developed case management system (name redacted) and interest in a future technology system to prong 2 analysis, noting they were irrelevant to national importance. The Petitioner is herself an attorney filing pro se or with representation (unknown). The decision contains a minor drafting error: 'the record does contain sufficient evidence' where context clearly requires 'does not contain.'

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