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

This bizarre incident was contained in a investigation published on the end of the week, which recounted how the secretary and a former political strategist had recently arranged to buy 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from the airline. Sources with knowledge told the paper that the pair planned to use the planes to expand deportation flights – and for personal travel.

Those insiders also claimed that ICE officials had warned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply increasing existing flight contracts.

Immigration officials facing fierce backlash after footage reportedly shows unresponsive individual holding infant during arrest.

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

In the interim, Democratic lawmakers on the House funding panel said in October that during this season's historically lengthy 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 US Coast Guard entered into a sole source contract 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 taxpayer of $200 million,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the department.

A department representative told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the plane purchases were incorrect but refused to provide additional clarification.

The legislature had previously authorized the so-called “major immigration bill” in July, which allocates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border security operations, a sum that makes ICE the most well-funded federal agency in the federal government.

In the autumn, it was reported that the administration was transporting immigrants detained as part of its deportation agenda in ways that breached their constitutionally protected rights, often by plane.

Confidential information examined from charter airline GlobalX detailed the journeys of tens of thousands of individuals who have been transported around the country before deportation.