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.
Cookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 23,923 at the 2000 census. The 2007 Census estimate of Cookeville's population is 28,901, and the combined total of those living in Cookeville's ZIP codes in 2000 is 55,448. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee Technological University. It is recognized as one of the country's micropolitan areas, smaller towns which nevertheless function as significant economic hubs. Of the twenty micropolitan areas in Tennessee, Cookeville is the largest with a 2007 population of 101,682.