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The secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security reportedly approved the purchase of Spirit Airlines jets before learning that the carrier did not actually own the aircraft – and that the planes lacked power plants.

This bizarre incident was detailed in a report released on Friday, which described how the official and a ex- campaign manager had recently arranged to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the two planned to use the planes to increase deportation flights – and for private use.

Those sources also claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had warned them that buying planes would be far more expensive than simply increasing existing flight contracts.

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Complicating matters further, the airline, which entered bankruptcy protection for the second instance in the summer, did not own the aircraft and their power plants would have had to be acquired independently. The proposal has since been paused, according to the report.

In the interim, Democratic lawmakers on the House appropriations committee said in the autumn that during this season's record-long government shutdown, the DHS had already purchased two Gulfstream aircraft for $200 million.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a government shutdown, the United States Coast Guard entered into a single-source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to procure two new G700 luxury jets to facilitate travel for you and the deputy, at a expense to the taxpayer of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the DHS.

A DHS spokesperson told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the plane purchases were inaccurate but declined to offer additional clarification.

Congress had previously authorized the termed “big, beautiful bill” in July, which allocates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border security operations, a sum that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most well-funded law enforcement agency in the US government.

In September, it was revealed that the government 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 thousands of immigrants who have been shuttled around the nation before removal.