Hispanic Federation Hosts Three Kings Dinner with Newly Arrived Asylum Seekers
For Immediate Release: January 6, 2023
Contact: media@hispanicfederation.org
NEW YORK — Newly arrived asylum seekers celebrated their first Three Kings Day in the United States at a dinner Thursday hosted by Hispanic Federation. Newly arrived asylum seekers joined Hispanic Federation leaders at the Julia de Burgos Performance & Arts Center in East Harlem where they were provided meals, gifts, and entertainment. Deputy City Council Speaker Diana Ayala, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Manuel Castro, and Special Counsel to the City Council Speaker Carlos Beato volunteered at the event, helping distribute meals and gifts. Hispanic Federation nonprofit partners also joined the dinner, including Aids for Aids, La Colmena, St. Jerome HANDS Community Center, Coalition for Immigrant Freedom, and Churches United For Fair Housing.
“New York is the ultimate city of immigrants, and we welcome people from all walks of life no matter their background,” said Frankie Miranda, president and CEO of Hispanic Federation. “In keeping with that welcoming tradition that is widely celebrated here and across Latin America, it was a privilege to host newly arrived asylum seekers to celebrate their first Three Kings Day in the United States. Many families are seeking refuge in New York after fleeing civil strife, natural disasters, violence, and so much more. Hearing their stories first hand reminds everyone that the need for a more humane immigration system is urgent, and I call on Congressional leaders to make this a priority in the new session. The future of too many families hangs in the balance.”
“As we celebrate Three Kings Day, we take this moment to acknowledge all those families and friends who have made the decision to make New York their home. I visited some of these families seeking asylum and heard the troubles they dealt with on their journey to our city firsthand, but I also saw resilience and strength. And thanks to organizations like the Hispanic Federation, I also saw the richness of our community,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Thank you to the Hispanic Federation for keeping the Three Kings Day tradition alive. Wishing New Yorkers a very happy Dia de los Reyes!”
“As families continue to arrive in our city it is important that they be met with a semblance of tradition, culture, and a sense of normalcy. Three Kings Day this year is an opportunity that allows families to connect and celebrate while keeping with the traditions of home,” said Deputy City Council Speaker Diana Ayala.
“As we bring in the new year, our office continues to empower recently arrived New Yorkers with information and resources,” said Manuel Castro, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “We thank Hispanic Federation and the community organizations who worked on creating a welcoming environment for asylum seekers to freely celebrate Three Kings Day.”
Most asylum-seeking families in attendance were from Venezuela and arrived in New York City via bus. At the dinner, families shared their personal stories and journeys navigating the United States immigration system.
The dinner was held as Texas Governor Greg Abbott and other leaders continue to bus asylum seekers to New York, Washington, D.C., and other areas without proposing or supporting long-term solutions to create a humane immigration system. Additionally, Congress failed to include immigration reform policy in the FY 2023 Omnibus bill. President and CEO of Hispanic Federation Frankie Miranda called on Congress to create a pathway to citizenship and a more humane immigration system in the first 100 Days of the new session.
In addition to providing some respite during the holidays, Hispanic Federation held the Three Kings Day dinner in an effort to humanize the intersecting issues that impact our immigration system. For months, Hispanic Federation has been working with nonprofit partners and the Adams Administration to ensure newly arrived migrants have access to housing and other resources. Hispanic Federation also implemented a $100,000 fund to support community-based organizations that are providing shelter, food, clothing, medical care, transportation and more to migrants arriving in our city and state.
