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The head of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airline aircraft before discovering that the carrier did not truly possess the aircraft – and that the planes were missing power plants.

This strange anecdote was detailed in a investigation released on Friday, which recounted how the official and a former political strategist had recently attempted to purchase ten Boeing 737 planes from the airline. Sources with knowledge informed the outlet that the two planned to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those insiders also claimed that ICE agents had warned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply increasing current charter agreements.

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Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in the summer, did not possess the jets and their power plants would have had to be bought independently. The plan has since been paused, according to the report.

Meanwhile, Democrats on the House funding panel said in the autumn that during this season's historically lengthy government shutdown, the DHS had already acquired two Gulfstream aircraft for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the middle of a government shutdown, the US Coast Guard entered into a single-source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to facilitate travel for you and the deputy, at a expense to the taxpayer of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the DHS.

A DHS spokesperson told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the plane purchases were inaccurate but refused to offer further details.

Congress had earlier approved the so-called “big, beautiful bill” in the summer, which dedicates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border-related operations, a sum that makes ICE the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the federal government.

In the autumn, it was reported that the administration was moving individuals detained as part of its removal program in ways that breached their constitutionally protected rights, often by air.

Leaked data reviewed from private airline GlobalX outlined the journeys of thousands of immigrants who have been transported around the country before removal.