SGG achieved a recent victory on an appeal before the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO). A favorable outcome on appeal before the AAO is not a common occurrence, and thus it presents a real cause for celebration. The decision – Matter of S-C-R-C, LLC (November 15, 2017) – pertains to an I-924 application filed by an EB-5 regional center, requesting approval of an exemplar I-526 petition related to the $200 million development of a large, four-star hotel adjacent to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The AAO sustained the appeal, withdrew the Immigrant Investor Program Office (IPO)’s decision denying the I-924 application, and returned the matter to IPO for issuance of an approval. The decision confirms the hotel investment is a compliant EB-5 project that will enable at least 100 families to immigrate via investment. This victory before the AAO is particularly satisfying given it followed an arduous year-long journey of advocacy, first in response to a Request for Evidence, followed by a Notice of Intent to Deny, a Notice of Decision denying the I-924, a Motion to Reopen, and finally, an Appeal to the AAO.
SGG is tremendously pleased for our client, as the project can now move forward with the support of EB-5 investment capital, and we note the development is expected to create over 2,600 jobs.