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.
Mastic is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 15,436 at the 2000 census. Mastic is a community located in the southeast part of the Town of Brookhaven. The hamlet was originally called Forge. The Long Island Rail Road built a station in 1882. In 1893, the name of the town was changed to Mastic. On July 15, 1960, the stop was moved 7010 feet west and renamed Mastic–Shirley. Mastic is served by the William Floyd School District and the Eastport-South Manor Central School District. The Poospatuck Indian Reservation lies entirely within the community, near its southern end.