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.
Hialeah is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 226,419. As of 2006, the population estimate by the U. S. Census Bureau had the city's population reduced to 209,971, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Hialeah is part of the Miami metropolitan area and the Greater South Florida metropolitan area. The city's name is most commonly attributed to Muskogee origin, "Haiyakpo" and "hili" (pretty) combining in "Hialeah" to mean "pretty prairie". Alternatively, the word is of Seminole origin meaning "Upland Prairie". The city is located upon a large prairie between Biscayne Bay and the Everglades. It has the second highest percentage of Cuban and Cuban American residents of any city in the US. Hialeah is also the densest American city not to feature a skyscraper. Hialeah is served by the Miami Metrorail at three stations: Okeechobee Station, Hialeah Station, and Tri-Rail Transfer Station. The Okeechobee and Hialeah stations serve primarily as park-and-ride commuter stations for Downtown Miami and Brickell commuters. The Tri-Rail Transfer Station allows easy connections to Tri-Rail to Miami International Airport and West Palm Beach. Besides Metrorail, Hialeah also has two Tri-Rail stations. The Hialeah Market Station and at the Tri-Rail/Metrorail Transfer Station.