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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airline aircraft before discovering that the airline did not actually own the planes – and that the planes lacked engines.

This strange incident was contained in a investigation published on the end of the week, which recounted how the secretary and a ex- political strategist had recently arranged to buy ten Boeing 737 planes from the airline. Sources with knowledge told the paper that the pair planned to use the planes to expand deportation flights – and for personal travel.

Those insiders also claimed that ICE officials had warned them that purchasing aircraft would be far more expensive than simply increasing existing flight contracts.

ICE confronting fierce backlash after video reportedly shows unresponsive individual clutching child during arrest.

Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection for the second instance in August, did not own the aircraft and their power plants would have had to be acquired separately. The plan has since been halted, according to the report.

In the interim, Democratic lawmakers on the House funding panel said in the autumn that during this season's record-long federal shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security had already purchased two Gulfstream aircraft for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a federal shutdown, the US Coast Guard entered into a sole source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace to procure two new G700 luxury aircraft to facilitate travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the public of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a communication to the department.

A DHS spokesperson told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but refused to provide additional clarification.

The legislature had earlier approved the termed “big, beautiful bill” in the summer, which allocates roughly $170bn for immigration and border security operations, a amount that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most well-funded federal agency in the federal government.

In the autumn, it was reported that the administration was moving immigrants held as part of its deportation agenda in ways that violated their constitutionally protected rights, often by air.

Leaked data examined from charter airline Global Crossing detailed the journeys of tens of thousands of individuals who have been transported around the nation before deportation.