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.
Mount Pleasant is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Isabella County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,946. The 2008 census estimate places the population at 26,675. Part of the city (with a population of 8,741) is on the Isabella Indian Reservation, site of the Soaring Eagle Casino. The city is also home to the main campus of Central Michigan University. Former Michigan governor John Engler was born in Mount Pleasant, as was former PGA Tour professional golfer Dan Pohl. In December 2008 the unemployment rate in Mount Pleasant was 7.1.