9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act

Key Points

• This bill allows immigrants who helped with rescue, recovery, and cleanup after the September 11 attacks to apply for green cards. It covers people who worked at Ground Zero in New York, the Pentagon, and the crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
• To qualify, workers must have spent a specific amount of time helping at these sites between September 2001 and July 2002. This includes firefighters, police officers, cleanup contractors, and volunteers who were exposed to dangerous debris and dust.
• The bill also helps vehicle maintenance workers who cleaned or repaired cars contaminated by toxic dust from the World Trade Center. These workers would be able to get work permits while their applications for legal status are being processed.
• Applicants could have their filing fees waived if they have low incomes or face financial hardship. The government would not be allowed to use the information in these applications to deport people, except in cases of fraud or serious crimes.
• Eligible workers would have 18 months to apply once the bill becomes law. This effort aims to recognize the service of thousands of immigrants who risked their health to help the country recover after the terrorist attacks.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.