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.
Hernandez is an unincorporated community in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. Hernandez is about 5 miles northwest of Espanola on U.S. Routes 84/285. Hernandez has the ZIP code 87537. Covering 55 square miles, the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for ZIP code 87537 had a population of 2,492 at the 2000 census. The racial makeup of the city was 65.8% White, 0.3% African American, 1.6% Native American, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 30.4% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 91.1% of the population. Hernandez is "a populated place located wholly or substantially outside the boundaries of any incorporated place or CDP with an authoritative common name recognized by the U.S. Geological Survey. " Hernandez is best known as the subject of a 1941 Ansel Adams photograph, "Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico". A 1948 print of this photograph realized $609,600 at a Sotheby's New York auction in 2006. The previous record for a "Moonrise" print, set in 2002, was $136,000. Georgia O'Keeffe painted another church in Hernandez in 1931: "Another Church, Hernandez, New Mexico"