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.
Scandia is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,692 at the 2000 census. Scandia is located 25 miles northeast of Saint Paul, Minnesota, and is part of the Twin Cities Metro Area. Scandia became a city on January 1, 2007, due to worries about being annexed by the city of Forest Lake, after many years as New Scandia Township. The city is serviced by a weekly newspaper, the Country Messenger, and, as evidenced by the town's name, has a rich Swedish heritage. Gammelgarden Museum, located in the city's Johnson Park, "since 1972 has preserved, presented, and promoted Swedish immigrant heritage and history", with events such as "Midsommarafton" and "Dalapalooza" --a reference to the Dalecarlian horses the city has erected to welcome visitors, similar to Saint Paul, Minnesota's use of the Peanuts characters. The city has an elementary school, an ice rink, a community center, and a small business park.