ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the legal context of Switzerland by presenting the expulsion regulations and current legal changes. It reflects the situation of denizens and of second- and third-generation foreigners in particular. The chapter shows that denizens' rights are subject to modification. Thus, their position as quasi-citizens is under pressure and their belonging to Switzerland is questioned. The debates on the meaning of national identity and community, the integration of immigrants and the treatment of national minorities have increasingly focused on peoples' rights, and citizens have been successfully mobilised for legal projects that seek to restrict immigrants' rights. The chapter focuses on the expulsion of criminal denizens in Switzerland and seeks to further stimulate reflection on questions of belonging, citizenship and a state's responsibility towards its inhabitants. The discussion of recent legal developments in Switzerland finally points to the fact that the new legal frame increases the demarcation between citizens and denizens, and therefore corresponds to a neo-national trend.
