Lawsuit filed in D.C. federal court on behalf of Christina Carreira after her petition for an EB-1 Visa ("Extraordinary Ability") was denied

[ChiquitaBanana]

What makes you think that? IIRC USFSA has never held back skaters who want to compete for other countries.

Eh!

 

[overedge]

You already have Kaitlyn Weaver and Piper Gilles. So no, you can't have Anthony too.

I for one would be willing to give Weaver back in exchange for Ponomarenko

 

[misskarne]

I don't mean to bring this into PI, but-

If Melania could get a visa based on extraordinary talent (appeared on the cover of SI), I don't understand why Christina's talent cannot be considered extraordinary.

Yup, I was about to ask this. Wasn't this the same visa that Melania was given? Hey, @AxelAnnie, @analia, what makes a swimsuit model more "extraordinary" than a twice Junior World medallist?

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

You already have Kaitlyn Weaver and Piper Gilles. So no, you can't have Anthony too.

We gave you Tanith...

 

[Sylvia]

We gave you Tanith...

Tanith never competed internationally for Canada.

 

[her grace]

If Morgan Matthews lurks here, she either is cackling with amusement or has just smashed her laptop to smithereens.

Julia Vlassov and Keiffer Hubbell would also like a word.

 

[Turbo-Mom]

We could write our Congressman similar to the Gorsha Sur campaign when he was skating with Rene Roca in 1994.
I believe Anthony would not get released by US to skate for Canada until 2021/22 two full seasons from this season. July, 2021.

 

[Jarrett]

The court system will hopefully figure it out, and hopefully the lawyer will post the denial. Here is a link for the court filing: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5014667/10-21-18-Carreira-v-USCIS-Complaint.pdf

 

[VGThuy]

How do you determine her winning medals at top international competitions in her sport at her level alone does not meet the requirements as written as laid out by USCIS? It seems the issue her lawyer and others are finding is that those denying her the visa mischaracterized the sport and the competitions thus determining she didn’t meet the requirements in a way that even figure skating Olympic Champions and World Champions would not meet.

The best case scenario for Christina would most likely be that the Court will take a look at how the ISU competitions are run and understand that this is the only org in charge of Olympic-level figure skating. With that new information in mind, best case scenario, the Court will probably remand it back down to the agency to reconsider its decision based on the established facts and say the agency was incorrect in their rationale. That will still give the agency deference and latitude to reject or accept her application but they will be directed to redefine her accomplishments.

 

[MacMadame]

How do you determine her winning medals at top international competitions in her sport at her level alone does not meet the requirements as written as laid out by USCIS? It seems the issue her lawyer and others are finding is that those denying her the visa mischaracterized the sport and the competitions thus determining she didn’t meet the requirements in a way that even figure skating Olympic Champions and World Champions would not meet.

Yes they made it seem like she won a ribbon in a competition run by the local YMCA. Their rationale would mean that no one in ANY sport would qualify because in every case the competitions are run by an organization and only open to members of that organization!

In fact, it would mean almost no one would qualify, not just sports because in most cases awards are giving by organizations that the winners are members of.

 

[Skittl1321]

I don't mean to bring PI into this, but-

If Melania could get a visa based on extraordinary talent (she appeared on the cover of SI), I don't understand why Christina's talent cannot be considered extraordinary.

The other thing that surprised me is that she is not from Latin America or Africa, etc. - places that the current admin hates. She is from Canada. I never thought she would have difficulty getting that visa, based on her FS resume.

Melania appeared alone. Christina is apparently an interchangeable cog in a team. The current visa administrators seem to think if the team was awarded the medal, you can just replace the players . Christina has no medals/extraordinary merit of her own, apparently.

It's ridiculous. An American athlete is hurt by this decision too, as is Team USA.
To discount an ice dancers merit because medals were won as a team, WTF?

 

[Vash01]

Melania appeared alone. Christina is apparently an interchangeable cog in a team. The current visa administrators seem to think if the team was awarded the medal, you can just replace the players . Christina has no medals/extraordinary merit of her own, apparently.

It's ridiculous. An American athlete is hurt by this decision too, as is Team USA.
To discount an ice dancers merit because medals were won as a team, WTF?

Melania did not act alone. She needed a team too - a photographer, costume designer, makeup person, magazine editor andmay be more.

It is silly to deny Christina visa because she was a part of a Team. If she is replaced by just any other skater, it is not going to make a winning team.

 

[Skittl1321]

Melania did not act alone. She needed a team too - a photographer, costume designer, makeup person, magazine editor andmay be more.

It is silly to deny Christina visa because she was a part of a Team. If she is replaced by just any other skater, it is not going to make a winning team.

I was being a bit facetious. Even individual athletes do not act alone.

Melania also got her visa under a different administration, as have other athletes in more similar cases to Christina.

Jobs should not be going to Canadians when Americans want them. Surely an American ice dancer can fill this position.

 

[Vagabond]

I seem to have at least one person posting in this thread on Ignore. Could it be . . . Didier Gailhaguet?

 

[vesperholly]

If Morgan Matthews lurks here, she either is cackling with amusement or has just smashed her laptop to smithereens.

OK so that's one - who else was denied a chance to represent another country by USFS?

Plenty of US skaters have switched countries before - Alexia Paganini, Isadora Williams, Piper Gilles, Kaitlyn Weaver, half of the skaters who train in NJ, all the way back to Dianne de Leeuw in the 70s. I've heard of many European countries, particularly France, not releasing skaters.

I have to wonder if there was something else going on with the Morgan Matthews situation.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

OK so that's one - who else was denied a chance to represent another country by USFS?

Plenty of US skaters have switched countries before - Alexia Paganini, Isadora Williams, Piper Gilles, Kaitlyn Weaver, half of the skaters who train in NJ, all the way back to Dianne de Leeuw in the 70s. I've heard of many European countries, particularly France, not releasing skaters.

I have to wonder if there was something else going on with the Morgan Matthews situation.

All these skaters were not winning (junior) World medals at the time...

 

[Lanie]

I wonder if some of it has to do with the pure ignorance surrounding our sport. So many people don't even consider it a sport and know nothing about it, and the dismissal of their achievement smacks of that attitude too.

 

[carriecmu0503]

All these skaters were not winning (junior) World medals at the time...

Nor had USFS invested in them financially.

 

[Japanfan]

what makes a swimsuit model more "extraordinary" than a twice Junior World medallist?

A swim suit model is less extraordinary than a Junior World Medalist, IMO.

Granted, not a lot of women have the body, looks or discipline to be a swimsuit model. But there are more such women - or more women capable of being a swimsuit model - than their are women who earned/can earn two Junior World medals. Being an athlete is harder than modelling swimsuits.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Thank goodness Australia recognised Katia Alexandrovskaya's potential, and granted her citizenship along the same lines.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Tanith never competed internationally for Canada.

But she did compete nationally for Canada in dance and pairs.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

A swim suit model is less extraordinary than a Junior World Medalist, IMO.

Granted, not a lot of women have the body, looks or discipline to be a swimsuit model. But there are more such women - or more women capable of being a swimsuit model - than their are women who earned/can earn two Junior World medals. Being an athlete is harder than modelling swimsuits.

Can you imagine my disappointment that time I ordered BIG JUGS magazine and found out it was an IKEA homewares catalogue.

 

[barbarafan]

Julia Vlassov and Keiffer Hubbell would also like a word.

So would Vanessa Crone and Keiffer Hubbel.

 

[Sylvia]

But she did compete nationally for Canada in dance and pairs.

Wikipedia says Tanith "competed both as a pair skater and ice dancer in Canada before deciding to concentrate completely on ice dancing. She was introduced to ice dancing by Paul Wirtz and competed with partner Liam Dougherty. Her pairs partner was Ben Barruco, with whom she placed 2nd at the novice level at the 1997 Canadian Championships."

Here is a link for the court filing: https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5014667/10-21-18-Carreira-v-USCIS-Complaint.pdf

Thanks for finding/posting the link.

 

[Moustaffask8r]

I think some need to read the article again to understand what the actual issues in this case are rather than make an assumption that allows you to say how not special you find Christina Carreira.

The cas they argue is not about if she is extraordinary , the case is about not recognizing the ISU and her National tittle. This could influence any other potentiel case of skaters teaming up or representing US that are not citizen. Read the decision!

 

[Moustaffask8r]

The current administration hates Canada.

Any chance of this team going to Canada?[/QUOTE

 

[Turbo-Mom]

Piper sat out her two seasons until her release