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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airline aircraft before discovering that the carrier did not actually own the planes – and that the planes were missing power plants.

This bizarre incident was contained in a investigation released on the end of the week, which recounted how the official and a ex- campaign manager had recently attempted to buy ten Boeing 737 planes from Spirit Airlines. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the pair planned to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those sources also stated that ICE officials had warned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply increasing existing flight contracts.

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Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in August, did not own the jets and their engines would have had to be acquired independently. The proposal has since been paused, according to the investigation.

In the interim, Democrats on the House funding panel said in the autumn that during this fall'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 signed a single-source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to acquire two new G700 luxury jets to facilitate travel for you and the deputy, at a cost to the public of $200 million,” Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the DHS.

A department representative told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were inaccurate but refused to offer further details.

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

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

Confidential information reviewed from private airline Global Crossing detailed the travels of thousands of individuals who have been transported around the country before deportation.