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The head of the United States Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airlines jets before discovering that the airline did not truly possess the aircraft – and that the aircraft were missing engines.

This bizarre incident was detailed in a report published on Friday, which described how the secretary and a former political strategist had recently arranged to buy ten Boeing 737 planes from Spirit Airlines. Sources with knowledge informed the outlet that the two planned to use the jets to expand deportation flights – and for private use.

Those insiders also stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had warned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply increasing existing flight contracts.

Immigration officials facing fierce backlash after video apparently shows unresponsive individual clutching child during arrest.

Complicating matters further, the airline, which entered bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in the summer, did not own the jets and their engines would have had to be bought independently. The proposal has since been paused, according to the report.

Meanwhile, Democrats on the House appropriations committee said in the autumn that during this fall's record-long government shutdown, the DHS had already purchased two Gulfstream aircraft for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a government shutdown, the United States Coast Guard signed a single-source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace to procure two new G700 luxury jets to facilitate travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a cost to the taxpayer of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a communication to the DHS.

A DHS spokesperson informed the outlet that some details in the report about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but declined to provide additional clarification.

The legislature had previously authorized the so-called “big, beautiful bill” in the summer, which allocates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border-related operations, a amount that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the federal government.

In September, it was revealed that the government was transporting individuals held as part of its removal program in ways that breached their constitutionally protected rights, often by plane.

Confidential information examined from charter airline Global Crossing detailed the travels of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been shuttled around the country before removal.