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The head of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly approved the acquisition of Spirit Airlines aircraft before discovering that the airline did not truly possess the aircraft – and that the planes were missing engines.

This strange incident was detailed in a report published on the end of the week, which described how the secretary and a ex- political strategist had recently arranged to buy ten Boeing 737 planes from the airline. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the two intended to use the jets to expand deportation flights – and for private use.

Those insiders 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.

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Making the situation more complex, the airline, which filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in the summer, did not possess the jets and their power plants would have had to be bought separately. The plan has since been paused, according to the report.

In the interim, Democratic lawmakers on the House funding panel said in October that during this season's record-long federal 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 sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for the secretary and the deputy secretary, at a cost to the public of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to the DHS.

A DHS spokesperson told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the plane purchases were incorrect but refused to offer further details.

The legislature had previously authorized the so-called “big, beautiful bill” in July, which allocates roughly $170bn for immigration and border security operations, a amount that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the US government.

In the autumn, it was reported that the administration was transporting immigrants detained as part of its removal program in ways that violated their constitutionally protected rights, often by air.

Leaked data reviewed from private airline Global Crossing detailed the journeys of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been shuttled around the nation before deportation.