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9/11: The forgotten heroes of Ground Zero

September 11, 2021

Twenty years on, there are still unsung heroes of 9/11. Many of the workers who cleared up after the attack on the World Trade Center were undocumented immigrants and their contributions remain unrecognized. Jorge Roldan hopes to change that.

https://p.dw.com/p/40Cr0

Jorge Roldan was one of the irregular immigrants who literally did the dirty work at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. He searched for buried victims, hauled away rubble and cleared hazardous waste. Many of the workers on the site later suffered health problems, both physical and emotional, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Much of the debris was highly contaminated, and occupational safety measures were all but non-existent. Jorge Roldan is still suffering from the after-effects of his experiences at Ground Zero. Now a US citizen, he is fighting to help the others who also worked at the site of the attacks, but have yet to receive recognition and support. A report by Carolina Chimoy.

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