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The head of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airline aircraft before learning that the carrier did not actually own the aircraft – and that the planes lacked power plants.

This strange incident was contained in a report released on Friday, which described how the secretary and a former campaign manager had recently attempted to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from the airline. Sources with knowledge told the paper that the pair intended to use the jets to expand removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those sources also claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had cautioned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply increasing current charter agreements.

Immigration officials confronting fierce backlash after footage reportedly shows unresponsive individual holding child during detention.

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

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers on the House appropriations committee said in the autumn that during this fall's record-long government shutdown, the DHS had already purchased two Gulfstream aircraft for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a government shutdown, the US Coast Guard entered into a sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for you and the deputy, at a cost to the taxpayer of $200 million,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the department.

A department representative told the Journal that some details in the report about the aircraft acquisitions were inaccurate but refused to provide additional clarification.

The legislature had previously approved the so-called “major immigration bill” in the summer, which allocates roughly $170 billion for immigration-related 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 held as part of its deportation agenda in ways that violated their constitutionally protected rights, often by air.

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