New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) on Tuesday released a trove of internal records detailing the city government's response to hazardous air quality following the September 11, 2001 attacks, accusing past leaders of deceiving the public about the risks of breathing the air near Ground Zero.
The mayor's office made public 170,000 pages of documents, with his fiscal 2027 budget earmarking $34 million to "create and maintain" an online portal for public access, according to a press release. The release follows years of advocacy from 9/11 health groups and survivors demanding transparency.
"Close to 25 years later, more people have died from 9/11-related illnesses than were killed on the day itself," Mamdani said at a press conference, flanked by family members of victims and first responders. He was joined by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and comedian Jon Stewart, a longtime champion for 9/11 families and rescue workers.
"It would be one thing if government had stood alongside survivors and provided them with everything they needed at every step of the way," Mamdani added, emphasizing that reality "could not be further" from what occurred. "People got sick because the leaders they trusted lied and told them they were safe to breathe in toxic air."
The document release resolves two lawsuits filed by 9/11 Health Watch against the city. Ben Chevat, the group's executive director, thanked Mamdani in a statement for "being the Mayor, after 25 years, who finally begins to answer the question, 'What did the City know about the dangers from the toxic cloud at Ground Zero and when did it know it?'"
The attacks killed 2,977 people at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and aboard United Airlines Flight 93. But the health toll has continued to mount: more than 400,000 individuals were exposed to toxic substances at the World Trade Center site, according to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. As of December 2024, roughly 140,000 people from all 50 states were enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program, established under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act signed by President Obama in 2011. The memorial also notes that 49,000 first responders and survivors have been diagnosed with WTC Health-certified cancers.
Mamdani's move comes after a succession of mayors—Rudy Giuliani (R), Michael Bloomberg (I), Bill de Blasio (D), and Eric Adams (D)—led the city since the attacks. When asked whether Giuliani lied about air quality, Mamdani declined to directly accuse him, saying, "I leave it to New Yorkers to make their judgements." He added, "What we want to do is finally allow them the documents that they have long been demanding."
The release aligns with Mamdani's broader transparency agenda, including his recent pause on generative AI in city schools. The mayor has also faced pressure from Governor Hochul's backing amid Giuliani's demands for a public apology over the 9/11 records release.
Advocates hope the documents will finally answer long-standing questions about what city officials knew and when. The release comes as the federal government continues to address 9/11 health issues, with immigration enforcement and other policy debates dominating Washington. For now, the records offer a measure of accountability for those who have suffered for decades.
