House Democrats have proposed a bill that would allow illegal immigrants who helped clean up ground zero in New York City the chance to become U.S. citizens.

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chairman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) reintroduced the 9/11 Immigrant Worker Freedom Act on Thursday, the 24-year anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.

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“In the aftermath of the attacks, many immigrant workers—undocumented and unseen, stepped forward to help rebuild, clean, and care for a city and nation in crisis,” Espaillat said in a statement. “Their courage, sacrifice, and determination were vital to our recovery, and their contributions during that critical time is a lasting reminder that the strength of this nation is rooted in the hands and hearts of immigrants.”

The bill would give illegal immigrants who were first responders, workers, and volunteers who assisted with clean-up and search-and-rescue efforts at the World Trade Center the ability to apply for lawful permanent residency, the first step to being able to apply for naturalization.

The lawmakers estimated that 2,000 people who assisted in the days after 9/11 would be eligible to apply.

“Twenty-four years ago, thousands of undocumented first responders and volunteers risked their lives to help our city rebuild during one of our nation’s darkest days. They are American heroes,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Yet, our country has virtually abandoned them as they struggle with the health impact of asbestos exposures and other related trauma and injury.”

Workers who helped out were exposed to air tainted with potential carcinogens and have since been diagnosed with a long list of diseases from the exposure.

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A total of 2,977 people were killed in the 9/11 terrorist attack after hijackers affiliated with the Al Qaeda terrorist group took control of four commercial airplanes and steered three of them into the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.

A fourth plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.