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The head of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airline jets before learning that the carrier did not truly possess the planes – and that the planes were missing engines.

This strange anecdote was detailed in a investigation published on the end of the week, which described how the official and a former campaign manager had recently attempted to purchase ten Boeing 737 planes from the airline. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the pair intended to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those sources also claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials 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 clutching infant during detention.

Complicating matters further, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection for the second instance in August, did not possess the aircraft and their engines would have had to be acquired independently. The plan has since been paused, according to the investigation.

Meanwhile, Democrats on the House funding panel said in October that during this fall's historically lengthy government shutdown, the DHS had already acquired 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 sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to procure two new G700 luxury aircraft to facilitate travel for the secretary and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the taxpayer of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the department.

A department representative informed the outlet that parts of its reporting about the plane purchases were inaccurate but declined to offer additional clarification.

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

In the autumn, it was revealed that the administration was transporting individuals held as part of its deportation agenda in ways that breached their legal rights, often by plane.

Leaked data reviewed from charter airline Global Crossing outlined the travels of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been transported around the country before deportation.