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The head of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airline jets before learning that the airline did not truly possess the planes – and that the aircraft lacked power plants.

This strange anecdote was contained in a report published on Friday, which described how the official and a former political strategist had recently attempted to buy 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from the airline. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the two intended to use the planes to expand deportation flights – and for personal travel.

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

Immigration officials confronting fierce backlash after video apparently shows unconscious man holding infant during detention.

Complicating matters further, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection for the second instance 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 investigation.

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

“It has come to our attention that, in the middle of a federal shutdown, the United States Coast Guard entered into a single-source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a cost to the taxpayer of $200 million,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the DHS.

A department representative told the Journal that some details in the report about the plane purchases were incorrect but refused to provide further details.

The legislature had earlier authorized the termed “big, beautiful bill” in July, which dedicates roughly $170 billion for immigration-related and border security operations, a amount that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most well-funded federal agency in the US government.

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

Confidential information reviewed from charter airline GlobalX outlined the journeys of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been transported around the country before removal.