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.
Onalaska is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. The population was 14,839 at the 2000 census. The city borders La Crosse directly to the north and three unincorporated rural towns: Onalaska, Medary, and Hamilton. Onalaska is built on a slightly elevated ridge above the Black River. Natural areas include river bottomland as well as high, heavily wooded, scenic bluffs. A manmade reservoir at the city's western edge is known as Lake Onalaska. Onalaska is known as "The Sunfish Capital of the World."