Thousands of undocumented 9/11 cleanup workers are dying of cancer, but a looming threat is forcing them to stay in the shadows
‘New pain on top of an old one.’
It’s been 25 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001, but for the thousands of undocumented immigrant workers who helped clear the wreckage at ground zero, the nightmare never ended. It’s a daily reality defined by failing health and a crushing, persistent fear of immigration enforcement.
These workers, once hailed as essential for the recovery of lower Manhattan, have been forced to live in the shadows today. Through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Trump administration has been pushing an aggressive immigration agenda that keeps these forgotten heroes trapped in a cycle of anxiety and illness.
According to NPR, every week, a group of these workers meets in a Queens office building. They’ve known each other for about 25 years, having first crossed paths amidst the dust and devastation of the site. Back then, they were day laborers, often picked up on street corners and taken to the wreckage without even knowing where they were headed. One woman in the group, named Lucelly, remembers the morning of September 12, 2001, vividly.
“Come on, let’s go!”
A van pulled up on Roosevelt Avenue and 82nd, and the driver yelled, “Come on, let’s go!” She was offered $8.50 an hour. Like so many others, she went to work armed only with a paper mask and rubber gloves. She told NPR, “If the driver had told us: ‘We’re going to a danger zone,’ people would not have rushed in.” Instead, they spent their days in the rubble, eating lunch surrounded by toxic dust and returning home in the very clothes they wore to work.
The health consequences have been devastating. Lucelly has battled breast cancer and respiratory disease, which is unfortunately common among this population. According to the World Trade Center Health Program, there have been over 57,000 cancer cases linked to the exposure at ground zero.
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) says a new study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention highlights that 9/11 responders are dealing with a staggering 84% higher proportion of multiple primary cancers compared to the general population. For those diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 44, that risk is nearly four times higher.
The toxic reality of that site is well-documented. A 2025 study in Cancer Discovery noted that the collapse of the towers released a massive amount of airborne carcinogens and genotoxic substances. Responders have even shown elevated levels of clonal hematopoiesis, a condition involving mutated blood cells that significantly increases the risk of leukemia. While proactive screening has helped catch some cases, the reality is that the debris itself was incredibly dangerous.
Beyond the physical toll, there is the psychological trauma
Another woman, Rosa, who came from Guatemala, worked in demolition and had actual training in handling hazardous materials. She was shocked to see so many others, mostly from Latin American countries, working right alongside her with nothing but paper masks. The emotional weight of what they witnessed is heavy.
Rosa mentioned she still needs to see an exit at all times just to manage her panic attacks. She recalls being blindfolded by supervisors and moved to a secure area to sort through found objects like jewelry, wallets, and name plates. It’s a chilling reminder of the humanity buried in that dirt.
What makes this even more frustrating is that these workers are essentially stuck in a state of limbo. While the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 provides free medical care for 9/11-related conditions through 2090, many undocumented workers are too scared to apply for the help they are entitled to. Even for those who do receive compensation, which averages around $80,000, the money doesn’t last long when they are no longer healthy enough to work.
Attempts to provide these workers with a path to citizenship have consistently failed
The 9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act, most recently reintroduced in 2025 by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, remains stalled in the House Judiciary Committee. Ocasio-Cortez noted, “These heroes, many of whom sacrificed their lives, are people who are absolutely deserving of citizenship.” Yet, in the current political climate, it seems unlikely that this will move forward.
For someone like Lucelly, the fear of ICE is a “new pain on top of an old one.” She won’t even travel to New Jersey to see her daughter because she’s terrified of being picked up. Returning to her home country isn’t a viable option either, as she wouldn’t have access to the same quality of medical care she needs to survive.
It’s a cruel irony that the people who showed up when the city – and the country – needed them most are now being forced to hide. Lucelly put it best when she said, “We gave it all. When we got to ground zero we felt so much fear. Oh the fear we felt! No one ever asked to check out immigration status. Oh no, they treated us like we were real important back then.”
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