By SUZANNE GAMBOA
Associated Press Writer

September 20, 2001, 6:33 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- Some of the victims of the World Trade Center attack may have been illegal immigrants and authorities say their friends and relatives have been reluctant to come forward and identify them, fearing possible deportation.

James Ziglar, Immigration and Naturalization Service commissioner, issued a statement Thursday promising that the INS will not arrest or detain immigrants who come forward.

"It is crucial that local authorities get the help they need in identifying victims and the missing," he said. "I want to personally urge the immigrant community to come forward and assure everyone that INS will not seek, and local authorities will not divulge, any information provided in the rescue and recovery efforts."

Joel Magallan, director of Asociacion Tepeyac, a New York organization assisting in the search for Mexican victims, said in many cases little is known about the missing workers because they did not divulge much.

"Co-workers and friends, people who were in same business, they have reported some of them, but they say they are not sure if this guy is using his real name. They say, 'I don't know his last name. I don't know his age.' They know only they were working in same business," Magallan said.

Magallan did not know how many victims were illegal immigrants. His association has come up with 65 names of Latinos who worked in the World Trade Center and are missing. Other groups are trying to identify illegal immigrants from other countries.

Immigrant advocates also are encouraging illegal immigrants who survived the attack to come forward so they can help them find jobs and get health care, counseling and other assistance.