9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act
Sponsored By: Representative Ocasio-Cortez
Introduced
Summary
Creates a path to lawful permanent residence for certain workers and volunteers who did rescue, recovery, cleanup, demolition, or related work after the September 11, 2001 attacks. It targets people exposed at specific sites and gives them a special chance to apply for green cards.
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- Rescue and cleanup workers and volunteers who worked onsite in lower Manhattan, the Staten Island landfill, or barge loading piers would be eligible if they meet the bill's hour and date rules for service at those sites.
- Vehicle‑maintenance workers who handled vehicles contaminated by World Trade Center debris would be eligible based on exposure during the months after the attacks.
- Active or retired firefighters, police, recovery contractors, and volunteers who worked at the Pentagon or Shanksville sites in the weeks after 9/11 would qualify.
- Applicants would have 18 months after enactment to apply, with possible extensions for compelling circumstances, and would get work authorization while their application is pending.
- The Secretary could waive filing fees for people on means‑tested benefits, those with income at or below 250 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines, or those facing extraordinary hardship.
- Requests for fee waivers would not be used in public charge determinations, and affidavits of support would not be affected by fee waiver requests.
- The bill limits use of application information for immigration enforcement and sets a civil penalty up to $10,000 for improper disclosure.
- Immigrant visas allocated under this program would not reduce the total number of immigrant visas otherwise authorized under current immigration law.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Green cards for 9/11 immigrant workers
If enacted, this would let certain noncitizen 9/11 workers and volunteers apply for a green card. You would need to apply within 18 months after enactment. The Secretary could extend that window for compelling reasons. You would qualify if you meet one of these service rules. For lower Manhattan south of Canal Street, the Staten Island Landfill, or the barge piers: at least 4 hours on Sept 11–14, 2001; or 24 hours on Sept 11–30, 2001; or 80 hours between Sept 11, 2001 and July 31, 2002. Vehicle‑maintenance workers exposed to World Trade Center debris during Sept 11, 2001–July 31, 2002 would qualify. Fire or police members, recovery or cleanup contractors, and volunteers at the Pentagon on Sept 11–Nov 19, 2001 would qualify. The same roles at Shanksville, PA on Sept 11–Oct 3, 2001 would qualify. You would be allowed to work in the U.S. while your application is pending. These green cards would not count against annual visa caps. DHS could require forms and security checks but could not add extra eligibility rules beyond this bill.
Penalty for lying on applications
If enacted, anyone who willfully lies or leaves out key facts on the application could be denied all benefits under this section. That could block your green‑card chance under this bill.
Fee waivers and public-charge protection
If enacted, this would waive green‑card filing fees if you get a means‑tested benefit, your income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines, or you face extraordinary financial hardship. If a waiver is first denied, you would get a notice and 90 days to send more proof and keep your original filing date. Asking for or getting a fee waiver would not count against you in public‑charge tests. A sponsor’s fee‑waiver request would not hurt an affidavit of support.
Faster rules so you can apply
If enacted, DHS would have to publish interim rules within 90 days and let eligible people apply right away. Those rules would take effect on publication. Final rules would be due within 180 days after the interim rules. Usual federal paperwork approval rules would not apply to this rollout.
Privacy rules for 9/11 applicants
If enacted, the government would not be allowed to use your application information for immigration enforcement or refer you to ICE or CBP just because you applied. Your information could be shared only to process your case, stop fraud, protect national security, or investigate a felony not tied to immigration status. Someone who knowingly breaks these privacy rules could be fined up to $10,000.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
Cosponsors
Espaillat
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6]
LA • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
McGovern
MA • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16]
NY • D
Sponsored 9/11/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 9/16/2025
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/16/2025
Randall
WA • D
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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