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The secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security reportedly approved the purchase of Spirit Airlines aircraft before discovering that the airline did not truly possess the planes – and that the planes lacked power plants.

This bizarre incident was detailed in a investigation released on Friday, which described how the official and a former campaign manager had recently attempted to purchase ten Boeing 737 planes from Spirit Airlines. Sources with knowledge informed the outlet that the two intended to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for private use.

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

ICE facing fierce backlash after footage reportedly shows unresponsive individual clutching child during detention.

Complicating matters further, the airline, which entered bankruptcy protection for the second instance in August, did not own the jets and their power plants would have had to be bought separately. The proposal has since been halted, according to the investigation.

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

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

A department representative informed the outlet that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were inaccurate but declined to provide further details.

The legislature had previously authorized the termed “big, beautiful bill” in July, which allocates roughly $170bn for immigration-related and border-related operations, a amount that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the US government.

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

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