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The head of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airlines aircraft before learning that the airline did not actually own the planes – and that the aircraft lacked power plants.

This bizarre anecdote was contained in a report released on the end of the week, which described how the official and a former political strategist had recently arranged to buy ten Boeing 737 planes from the airline. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the pair intended to use the jets to increase deportation flights – and for personal travel.

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

Immigration officials facing intense criticism after footage reportedly shows unconscious man holding infant during detention.

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

In the interim, Democratic lawmakers on the House appropriations committee said in October that during this season's historically lengthy federal shutdown, the DHS had already acquired two Gulfstream jets for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a federal shutdown, the US Coast Guard signed a sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to facilitate travel for the secretary and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the public of $200 million,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the department.

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

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

In September, it was revealed that the administration was moving immigrants detained as part of its deportation agenda in ways that violated their constitutionally protected rights, often by air.

Leaked data reviewed from charter airline GlobalX outlined the travels of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been shuttled around the country before removal.