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.
Imperial Beach is a residential beach city in San Diego County, California. The population was estimated at 29,992 in 2006. The city is the most southern beach city in Southern California and the West Coast of the United States. It is located in an area of San Diego County called the South Bay, 14.1 miles south of Downtown San Diego and 3 miles northwest of downtown Tijuana, Mexico.