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The head of the United States Department of Homeland Security reportedly approved the purchase of Spirit Airline jets before learning that the carrier did not truly possess the planes – and that the aircraft lacked engines.

This bizarre anecdote was detailed in a investigation published on the end of the week, which described how the official and a former political strategist had recently arranged to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from the airline. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the two planned to use the jets to expand deportation flights – and for personal travel.

Those sources also claimed that ICE agents had cautioned 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 holding child during arrest.

Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which entered bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in August, did not possess the jets and their engines would have had to be acquired separately. The plan has since been halted, according to the investigation.

In the interim, 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 jets for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the middle of a government shutdown, the US Coast Guard signed a single-source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to procure two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for the secretary and the deputy, at a expense to the taxpayer of $200 million,” Democratic representatives wrote in a communication to the DHS.

A DHS spokesperson informed the outlet that parts of its reporting about the plane purchases were incorrect but declined to offer additional clarification.

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

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

Confidential information examined from private airline GlobalX detailed the travels of tens of thousands of individuals who have been shuttled around the country before deportation.