Immigration law serves as a gatekeeper for the nation’s border.
It determines who may enter, how long they may stay and when they must leave.
Federal immigration laws cover a number of issues regarding the rights and duties of foreign nationals in the United States: defining an individual’s immigration status and immigration options, determining if a person is in the country illegally, and controlling whether or not an alien (an “alien” is any person who is not a citizen or a national of the United States) can be deported.
There are different categories of aliens: resident and nonresident, immigrant and non-immigrant, documented and undocumented (“illegal”). The laws also provide a means by which certain aliens can become naturalized citizens with full rights of citizenship.
The advice of a skilled NY Immigration lawyer is highly recommended for these kind of issues.