Immigration law determines whether a person is an alien, the rights, duties, and obligations associated with being an alien in the United States, and how aliens gain residence or citizenship within the United States. It also provides the means by which certain aliens can become legally naturalized citizens with full rights of citizenship. Immigration law serves as a gatekeeper for the border of the nation, determining who may enter, how long they may stay, and when they must leave. Immigration lawyers represent persons seeking temporary and permanent residency (green cards) status in the U.S., those interested in obtaining U.S. citizenship through a process called naturalization, and clients facing deportation and removal. Immigration attorneys may also represent businesses seeking to secure temporary visa status for foreign employees.
Phenix City is a city in Russell County in the U.S. state of Alabama. Portions of Lee County are addressed as Phenix City, 36870 ZIP code, for the sole purpose that Smith's Station does not have full incorporation to annex the area. As of 2006, the population of the city was 30,067, according to Census Bureau estimates. Phenix City lies in the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Lee County nominal is in the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. The city is the county seat of Russell County. It is also a suburb immediately west of Downtown Columbus, Georgia which is just across the Chattahoochee River. In 2007, BusinessWeek named Phenix City the nation's #1 Best Affordable Suburb to raise a family. Currently, the mayor is Sonny Coulter, a local businessman, and previous mayor. The city manager, who holds the task of organizational matters is Wallace Hunter.