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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airlines aircraft before discovering that the carrier did not actually own the aircraft – and that the planes lacked engines.

This strange 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 the airline. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the pair intended to use the planes to expand deportation flights – and for private use.

Those insiders also stated that ICE officials had warned them that purchasing aircraft would be far more expensive than simply increasing current charter agreements.

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Making the situation more complex, 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 proposal has since been halted, according to the investigation.

In the interim, Democratic lawmakers on the House appropriations committee said in October that during this fall's record-long government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security had already purchased two Gulfstream aircraft for $200 million.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a federal shutdown, the United States Coast Guard signed a single-source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for the secretary and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the public of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to the DHS.

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

The legislature had previously authorized the so-called “big, beautiful bill” in July, which dedicates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border security operations, a amount that makes ICE the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the federal government.

In September, it was reported that the administration was moving individuals held as part of its deportation agenda in ways that violated their legal rights, often by air.

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