dismissed H-1B Case: Restaurant Management

U.S. Citizenship 
and Immigration 
Services 
MATTER OF H-G-E-
Non-Precedent Decision of the 
Administrative Appeals Office 
DATE: AUG. 30, 2016 
MOTION ON ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS OFFICE DECISION 
PETITION: FORM I-129, PETITION FOR A NONIMMIGRANT WORKER 
The Petitioner, a restaurant, seeks to temporarily employ the Beneficiary as an "assistant floor 
manager" under the H-1B nonimmigrant classification. See Immigration and Nationality Act (the 
Act) section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b), 8 U.S.C. § 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b). The H-lB program allows a U.S. 
employer to temporarily employ a qualifiedforeign worker in a position that requires both (a) the 
theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and (b) the 
attainment of a bachelor's or higher degree in the specific specialty (or its equivalent) as a minimum 
prerequisite for entr:x into the position. · 
The Director, Vermont Service Center, denied the petition, concluding that the Petitioner did not 
establish that the proffered position qualifies as a specialty occupation in accordance with the 
applicable statutory and regulatory provisions. The Petitioner appealed the Director's decision to 
our office and we summarily dismissed the appeal. 
The matter is now before us on a motion to reopen and a motion to reconsider. The Petitioner did 
not submit a brief or additional evidence with the combined motion. 
The combined motion will be denied. 
I. LAW 
A. Overarching Requirement for Motions by a Petitioner 
The provision at 8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(l)(i) includes the following statement limiting a USCIS 
officer's authority to reopen the proceeding or reconsider the decision to instances where "proper 
cause" has been shown for such action: "[T]he official having jurisdiction may, for proper cause 
shown, reopen the proceeding or reconsider the prior decision." · 
Thus, to merit reopening or reconsideration, the submission must not only meet the formal 
requirements for filing (such as, for instance, submission of a Form I-290B that is properly 
completed and signed, and accompanied by the correct fee), but the Petitioner must also show proper 
cause for granting the motion. As stated in the provision at 8 C.F.R. § 1 03.5(a)( 4), "Processing 
Matter of H-G-E-
motions in proceedings before the Service," "[a] motion that does not meet applicable requirements 
shall be dismissed." 
B. Requirements for Motions to Reopen 
The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(2), "Requirements for motion to reopen," states: 
A motion to reopen must [(1)] state the new facts to be provided in the reopened 
proceeding and [(2)] be supported by affidavits or other documentary evidence. 
This provision is supplemented by the related instruction at Part 4 of the Form I-290B, which states: 
Motion to Reopen: The motion must state new facts and must be supported by 
affidavits and/or documentary evidence that establish eligibility at the time the 
underlying petition ... was filed. 1 
Further, the new facts must possess such significance that, "if proceedings ... were reopened, with 
all the attendant delays, the new evidence offered would likely change the result in the case." Matter 
ofCoelho, 20 I&N Dec. 464,473 (BIA 1992); see also Maatougui v. Holder, 738 F.3d 1230, 1239-
40 (1Oth Cir. 20 13). 
C. Requirements for Motions to Reconsider 
The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(3), "Requirements for motion to reconsider," states: 
A motion to reconsider must [(1)] state the reasons for reconsideration and [(2)] be 
supported by any pertinent precedent decisions to establish that the decision was 
based on an incorrect application of law or Service policy. A motion to reconsider a 
decision on an application or petition must [(3)], [(a)] when filed, also [(b)] establish 
that the decision was incorrect based on the evidence of record at the time of the 
initial decision. 
These provisions are augmented by the related instruction at Part 4 of the Form I-290B, which states: 
Motion to Reconsider: The motion must be su~ported by citations to appropriate 
statutes, regulations, or precedent decisions and must establish that the decision was 
based on an incorrect application of law or policy, and that the decision was incorrect 
based on the evidence of record at the time of decision. 
1 The regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 103.2(a)(l) states in pertinent part: "Every benefit request or other document submitted to 
DHS must be executed and filed in accordance with the form instructions, notwithstanding any provision of 8 CFR 
chapter 1 to the contrary, and such instructions are incorporated into the regulations requiring its submission." 
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Matter of H-G-E-
A motion to reconsider contests the correctness of the prior decision based on the previous factual 
record, as opposed to a motion to reopen which seeks a new hearing based on new facts. Compare 
8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(3) and 8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(2). 
A motion to reconsider should not be used to raise a legal argument that could have been raised 
earlier in the proceedings. See Matter of Medrano, 20 I&N Dec. 216, 219 (BIA 1990, 1991) 
("Arguments for consideration on appeal should all be submitted at one time, rather than in 
piecemeal fashion."). Rather, any "arguments" that are raised in a motion to reconsider should flow 
from new law or a de novo legal determination that could not have been addressed by the affected 
party. Matter ofO-S-G-, 24 I&N Dec. 56, 58 (BIA 2006) (examining motions to reconsider under a 
similar scheme provided at 8 C.F.R. § 1003.2(b)); see also Martinez-Lopez v. Holder, 704 F.3d 169, 
171-72 (1st Cir. 2013). Further, the reiteration ofprevious arguments or general allegations of error 
in the prior decision will not suffice. Instead, the affected party must state the specific factual and 
legal issues raised on appeal that were decided in error or overlooked in the initial decision. See 
Matter of 0-S-G-, 24 I&N Dec. at 60. 
II. ANALYSIS 
For the reasons discussed below, the combined motion will be denied. 
The Petitioner did not submit a brief or additional evidence with the combined motion. The only 
submissions on motion are (1) a Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or 
Accredited Representative; (2) a Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion; (3) a copy of our 
decision dismissing the appeal; and ( 4) a cover letter from the Petitioner's counsel that list the 
submissions. With motion, the Petitioner has not stated any new facts to be provided if the 
proceedings were reopened, and has not submitted any affidavits or other documentary evidence to 
support any such facts. Therefore, we will deny the motion to reopen. 
We will also deny the motion to reconsider. The submissions on motion do not establish - or even 
articulate - how our decision to summarily dismiss the appeal was based on an incorrect application 
of law or policy and was incorrect based upon the evidence of record before us when we rendered 
that decision. 
III. CONCLUSION 
The combined motion does not meet the requirements for a motion to reopen or a motion to 
reconsider. Therefore, the combined motion will be denied. 
The Petitioner should note that, unless USCIS directs otherwise, the filing of a motion to reopen or 
reconsider does not stay the execution of any decision in a case or extend a previously set departure 
date. 8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(1)(iv). 
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Matter of H-G-E-
In visa petition proceedings, it is the Petitioner's burden to establish eligibility for the immigration 
benefit sought. Section 291 ofthe Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1361; Matter ofOtiende, 26 I&N Dec. 127, 128 
(BIA 2013). Here, that burden has not been met. Accordingly, the combined motion will be denied, 
the proceedings will not be reopened or reconsidered, and our previous decision will not be 
disturbed. 
ORDER: The motion to reopen is denied. 
FURTHER ORDER: The motion to reconsider is denied. 
Cite as Matter ofH-G-E-, ID# 13789 (AAO Aug. 30, 2016) 
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