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The head of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly approved the acquisition of Spirit Airline jets before discovering that the airline did not actually own the aircraft – and that the aircraft lacked power plants.

This strange incident was detailed in a report published on the end of the week, which recounted how the secretary and a ex- campaign manager had recently arranged to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the two intended to use the planes to increase removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those insiders also stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had cautioned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply expanding existing flight contracts.

Immigration officials confronting fierce backlash after footage reportedly shows unresponsive individual holding infant during arrest.

Making the situation more complex, the airline, which entered bankruptcy protection for the second instance in August, did not possess the jets and their power plants would have had to be acquired separately. The proposal has since been halted, according to the investigation.

In the interim, Democratic lawmakers on the House funding panel said in October that during this season's historically lengthy federal shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security had already purchased two Gulfstream jets for $200 million.

“It has come to our attention that, in the middle of a federal shutdown, the United States Coast Guard signed a sole source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for you and the deputy, at a expense to the public of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the department.

A DHS spokesperson informed the outlet that some details in the report about the plane purchases were incorrect but refused to offer further details.

Congress had previously authorized the so-called “big, beautiful bill” in the summer, which allocates roughly $170 billion for immigration-related and border-related operations, a sum that makes ICE the most well-funded federal agency in the US government.

In the autumn, it was reported that the administration was moving immigrants held as part of its removal program in ways that breached their legal rights, often by air.

Leaked data reviewed from charter airline Global Crossing detailed the travels of tens of thousands of individuals who have been transported around the nation before removal.