Norwegian Cruise Line says NYC reached out to house migrants on cruise ship, final deal not yet made

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Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed on Saturday that New York City has approached the company inquiring about using a cruise ship to house an influx of illegal immigrants to the city but said no deal has yet been reached.

"The chartering of cruise ships to companies, government entities and other organizations for various uses is a standard business practice across our industry," a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "While we can confirm that New York City has approached us about a potential charter of a cruise vessel, no agreement has been reached and we cannot speculate about the outcome of any ongoing business discussions." 

The New York Post reported this week that Adams was finalizing a deal with the cruise line to house the influx of migrants for six months so they can be processed before being housed by the city’s shelter system. 

The report estimated that 15,500 illegal immigrants have poured into the nation’s largest city since May as illegal immigration at the border continues at a record pace with over 2 million migrant encounters by Customs and Border Protection this fiscal year.

NEW YORK CITY RECEIVES 2 MORE BUSLOADS OF MIGRANT 'ASYLUM SEEKERS'

New York Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a news conference at City Hall in New York City, U.S., January 24, 2022.  (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)

Since April, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has sent more than 10,000 migrants via bus from Texas to the Big Apple in hopes of garnering attention to mitigate the border crisis. 

"In this new and unforeseen reality, where we expect thousands more to arrive every week going forward, the city’s system is nearing its breaking point," Adams said last month. "As a result, the city’s prior practices, which never contemplated the bussing of thousands of people into New York City, must be reassessed."

NYC MAYOR ADAMS OPENS 'HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY' CENTERS FOR BUSLOADS OF MIGRANTS FROM TEXAS, BORDER STATES

Migrants who crossed the border from Mexico into Texas exit a bus as it arrives at the Port Authority bus station in Manhattan  (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The plan to house migrants on the cruise ship is reportedly a cheaper option than the multiple tent cities Adams has erected to handle the surge.

"We're not going to leave any stone unturned. And once we finalize our plans, we're going to announce it," Adams said earlier this week about the cruise ship idea. "We're not, it's not going to be any surprise is once we finalize how we're going to continue to live up to our legal and moral obligation, we're going to announce."

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks at the National Press Club during a press conference on gun violence and other issues on Sept. 13, 2022.  (Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Mayor Adams’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Fox News’ Bailee Hill contributed to this report