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The head of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airline jets before discovering that the airline did not actually own the planes – and that the planes were missing power plants.

This bizarre anecdote was contained in a investigation released on the end of the week, which described how the secretary and a former campaign manager had recently arranged to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the pair planned to use the jets 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 significantly costlier than simply increasing existing flight contracts.

Immigration officials facing fierce backlash after video apparently shows unresponsive individual holding child during detention.

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

Meanwhile, Democrats on the House funding panel said in October that during this season's record-long government shutdown, the DHS had already acquired two Gulfstream jets for $200 million.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a government shutdown, the US Coast Guard signed a single-source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to acquire two new G700 luxury jets to facilitate travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a cost to the public of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to the DHS.

A DHS spokesperson informed the outlet that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but refused to provide further details.

The legislature had previously authorized the so-called “major immigration bill” in July, which dedicates roughly $170 billion for immigration-related and border-related operations, a sum that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the federal government.

In the autumn, it was reported that the government was moving immigrants held as part of its deportation agenda in ways that violated their legal rights, often by plane.

Confidential information examined from private airline Global Crossing detailed the journeys of tens of thousands of individuals who have been shuttled around the nation before removal.