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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airline aircraft before learning that the airline did not truly possess the planes – and that the planes were missing power plants.

This bizarre incident was detailed in a report published on Friday, which described how the official and a ex- campaign manager had recently attempted to purchase ten Boeing 737 planes from the airline. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the pair planned to use the planes to increase removal flights – and for private use.

Those sources also stated that ICE agents had warned them that buying planes would be far more expensive than simply expanding existing flight contracts.

Immigration officials confronting intense criticism after video reportedly shows unresponsive individual clutching infant during arrest.

Complicating matters further, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy proceedings for the second instance in the summer, did not possess the jets and their engines would have had to be acquired independently. The proposal has since been halted, according to the investigation.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers on the House appropriations committee said in the autumn that during this fall's historically lengthy government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security had already acquired two Gulfstream aircraft for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the middle of a federal shutdown, the United States Coast Guard signed a sole source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace to procure two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a cost to the taxpayer of $200 million,” Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the department.

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

Congress had previously approved the termed “big, beautiful bill” in the summer, which dedicates roughly $170bn for immigration and border security operations, a amount that makes ICE the most well-funded federal agency in the US government.

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

Leaked data examined from private airline GlobalX outlined the journeys of thousands of immigrants who have been shuttled around the country before removal.