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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly approved the acquisition of Spirit Airline jets before discovering that the carrier did not actually own the planes – and that the aircraft were missing engines.

This bizarre incident was detailed in a investigation published on the end of the week, which recounted how the secretary and a former campaign manager had recently arranged to purchase ten Boeing 737 planes from the airline. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the two planned to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those sources also stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had warned them that buying planes would be far more expensive than simply increasing current charter agreements.

Immigration officials facing intense criticism after footage apparently shows unresponsive individual holding child during detention.

Complicating matters further, Spirit, which entered bankruptcy proceedings for the second instance in the summer, did not own the jets and their power plants would have had to be bought separately. The plan has since been halted, according to the report.

In the interim, 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 midst of a government shutdown, the United States Coast Guard entered into a sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to facilitate travel for the secretary and the deputy, at a cost to the taxpayer of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to the department.

A department representative informed the outlet that some details in the report about the aircraft acquisitions were inaccurate but declined to offer additional clarification.

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

In the autumn, it was revealed that the administration was moving individuals held as part of its removal program in ways that violated their legal rights, often by air.

Leaked data examined from charter airline Global Crossing detailed the travels of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been shuttled around the nation before deportation.