New York GAA chairperson Sean Price says their presence in the Gaelic football championship is vital to ensure continued progress on and off the field.
The Exiles host Roscommon this Sunday in the Connacht SFC opener.
This game comes amid a backdrop of an immigration crackdown in the US and ongoing speculation of the Exiles' future in the Connacht competition.
But Price insists their championship status is essential for a number of reasons.
"Firstly, immigration has always been an issue in the United States and in New York," he says.
"We all hear the stories of the past when the Irish were told they need not apply and when we started coming here around the time of the famine.
"It's something that I suppose is part of our life here. We were all immigrants when we came here at one stage. So, we just get on with it. It is what it is.
"We have a lot going on. We have a Lory Meagher hurling team, a Tailteann Cup football team, junior and Feile teams that go home. Our junior team is composed of all American-born kids going for four in a row this year.
"So, we really don't take much notice of the talk of immigration challenges and regimes. It is what it is. It's always been there. We put our best foot forward.
"We can complain about it and we can give out, or we can just head out into the schools and reach for the second or third generation Irish and non-Irish, anybody who wants to play our games, we're inclusive of everybody, boys, girls, doesn't matter."
Price is adamant, however, that their championship status is prolonged because it remains the focal point and platform for a range of other activities that New York GAA is heavily invested in.
He said: "We're currently working hand in hand with Manhattan University, which is our landlord and the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), who's their landlord, to get a longer lease for Gaelic Park.
"We have a 10-year lease, which is up in almost three years and we're working to get a longer lease, a 10, 20, or maybe even a 30-year lease. We're working on the value, we gave a presentation to Croke Park about our funding model and our strategy, how we can get this done.
"We're excited about getting that done. We have Redmond Park, which is an underage facility, which is probably at 90% or 95% complete. That's a fully lit venue, 70 acres.
"In 2027, we're going to have the CYC (Continental Youth Championship) which will bring age groups from under six to 18s. There'll be up to 3,000 kids with siblings and parents in New York, travelling from all over America.
"And possibly we might be able to include some teams from World GAA as a first to give them a shot at playing.
"So, aside from the game against Roscommon, this coming weekend is a big part of our fundraising strategy - to be able to prove that we're self-sufficient here.
"We're looking at getting more Games Development Officers. We have two guys and we're looking to hire a third person to go into the schools and start with the grassroots.
"That’s why this weekend is so crucial to us. The game is obviously the focus of it, but there is so much more going on, and this game helps us shine a light on all we are doing."
Price says that if continued speculation about their future in the Connacht SFC heightens or is acted upon, New York GAA will show flexibility to maintain their championship status, which has been in existence since 1999.
"Jarlath Burns is fully aware of our situation, Derek Kent is aware of it, and we're hopeful that our championship fixture will continue in some capacity," he said.
"And if it's not with Connacht, Jarlath has already proposed the idea of us playing the All-Ireland champions. That wouldn't be ideal, because it would really be David against Goliath, but maybe there's something that we can do on a rotating basis with the other provinces.
"We're open to anything. I think GAA is open to anything, and I think the Irish Government is open to anything. Between us all, we will figure something out if it is needed."
The New York chair says that Sunday’s game will attract a huge crowd and is expecting up to 2,500 from Roscommon alone.
"The weekend is simply massive. It shines a light on all of the work we are doing – and there is so much going on here. The championship game is a focal point, and because of it we are able to do so much more work."
Watch Armagh v Tyrone in the Ulster Football Championship on Sunday from 4pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow our live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
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