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

This strange incident was contained in a investigation published on the end of the week, which described how the secretary and a former political strategist had recently attempted to buy 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. Sources with knowledge informed the outlet that the two intended to use the jets to expand deportation flights – and for personal travel.

Those insiders also claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had cautioned them that purchasing aircraft would be significantly costlier than simply increasing existing flight contracts.

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Making the situation more complex, the airline, which entered bankruptcy protection for the second instance in August, did not own the jets 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 the autumn that during this season's record-long government shutdown, the DHS had already acquired two Gulfstream jets for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the middle of a federal shutdown, the US Coast Guard entered into a single-source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to facilitate travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a cost to the public of $200 million,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the DHS.

A DHS spokesperson informed the outlet that some details in the report about the plane purchases were incorrect but refused to provide additional clarification.

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

In September, it was revealed that the administration was moving individuals detained as part of its deportation agenda in ways that breached their legal rights, often by plane.

Confidential information reviewed from charter airline Global Crossing outlined the journeys of thousands of individuals who have been transported around the country before deportation.