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The head of the United States Department of Homeland Security reportedly approved the purchase of Spirit Airline aircraft before discovering that the carrier did not truly possess the aircraft – and that the aircraft lacked power plants.

This bizarre incident was detailed in a report published on the end of the week, which described how the secretary and a former political strategist had recently attempted to buy ten Boeing 737 planes from Spirit Airlines. Sources with knowledge told the paper that the two planned to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those insiders also claimed that ICE officials had warned them that buying planes would be far more expensive than simply increasing current charter agreements.

Immigration officials facing fierce backlash after footage apparently shows unresponsive individual clutching infant during detention.

Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection for the second instance in the summer, did not own the jets and their engines would have had to be bought separately. The plan has since been halted, according to the investigation.

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 jets for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a government shutdown, the United States Coast Guard entered into a sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to procure two new G700 luxury jets to support travel for you 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 some details in the report about the plane purchases were inaccurate but refused to provide further details.

The legislature had previously approved the so-called “major immigration bill” in July, which dedicates roughly $170bn 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 the autumn, it was revealed that the administration was moving individuals detained as part of its removal program in ways that breached their legal rights, often by plane.

Leaked data examined from charter airline Global Crossing outlined the journeys of tens of thousands of individuals who have been shuttled around the nation before deportation.