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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly approved the purchase of Spirit Airline jets before discovering that the airline did not truly possess the aircraft – and that the aircraft lacked engines.

This bizarre anecdote was contained in a investigation released on Friday, which recounted how the secretary and a former campaign manager had recently attempted to purchase ten Boeing 737 planes from Spirit Airlines. Sources with knowledge told the paper that the two planned to use the jets to increase deportation flights – and for private use.

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

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Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which entered bankruptcy proceedings for the second instance in August, did not possess the aircraft and their power plants would have had to be bought independently. The plan has since been halted, according to the report.

Meanwhile, Democrats on the House appropriations committee said in October that during this season's historically lengthy federal shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security had already purchased two Gulfstream aircraft for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a federal shutdown, the United States Coast Guard entered into a sole source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace to procure two new G700 luxury jets to support travel for the secretary and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the public of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the department.

A DHS spokesperson told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but refused to provide additional clarification.

The legislature had earlier authorized the termed “big, beautiful bill” in the summer, which allocates roughly $170bn for immigration and border-related 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 revealed that the administration was moving individuals detained as part of its removal program in ways that breached their constitutionally protected rights, often by air.

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