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.
Maryneal is an unincorporated community in southern Nolan County, Texas, United States. It lies along FM 608 south of the city of Sweetwater, the county seat of Nolan County. Its elevation is 2,566 feet (782 m). Although Maryneal is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 79535; the ZCTA for ZIP Code 79535 had a population of 181 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1907 along the Kansas City, Mexico and Orient Railway, the community was named for one or more people; the source of its name is disputed. In its early history, the community was more significant than it is today: it won a significant minority of the votes in an election (losing to Sweetwater) to determine the county seat, and a post office was established in Maryneal by being moved from Decker.