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The secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security allegedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airlines aircraft before learning that the carrier did not actually own the planes – and that the planes lacked engines.

This bizarre incident was contained in a report published on the end of the week, which described how the secretary and a former political strategist had recently attempted to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. Sources with knowledge informed the outlet that the pair planned to use the planes to expand deportation flights – and for private use.

Those insiders also claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had cautioned them that purchasing aircraft would be significantly costlier than simply expanding current charter agreements.

Immigration officials facing fierce backlash after footage apparently shows unresponsive individual clutching child during arrest.

Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which entered bankruptcy proceedings for the second instance in August, did not own the aircraft and their engines would have had to be acquired independently. The proposal has since been paused, according to the report.

In the interim, Democrats on the House appropriations committee said in the autumn that during this fall's historically lengthy federal 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 government shutdown, the US Coast Guard signed a sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to acquire two new G700 luxury jets to facilitate travel for the secretary and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the taxpayer of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the DHS.

A department representative told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but refused to provide further details.

Congress had earlier authorized the termed “major immigration bill” in the summer, which allocates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border-related operations, a sum that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most well-funded law enforcement agency in the US government.

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

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