Enforcing the rights of migrants with irregular status

City ID cards as a remedy?

Abstract

Migrants who live in Switzerland without valid residence papers find themselves in a complex and contradictory legal position. Even though they are entitled to a great number of rights, they are rarely able to claim them in practice. This paper analyzes the challenges that migrants with irregular status face when enforcing their rights. Furthermore, a strategy that could potentially serve as a remedy to their lacking access to justice is explored; the approach of urban citizenship and the introduction of city ID cards.