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The head of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airlines jets before learning that the carrier did not truly possess the aircraft – and that the aircraft were missing engines.

This bizarre incident was contained in a report published on Friday, which recounted how the secretary and a former political strategist had recently attempted to purchase ten Boeing 737 planes from the airline. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the two planned to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those insiders also claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had cautioned them that purchasing aircraft would be far more expensive than simply expanding existing flight contracts.

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Complicating matters further, the airline, which entered bankruptcy protection for the second instance in August, did not possess the jets and their engines would have had to be bought independently. The proposal has since been paused, according to the investigation.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers on the House appropriations committee said in October that during this fall's historically lengthy federal shutdown, the DHS had already purchased two Gulfstream aircraft for $200m.

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

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

The legislature had previously approved the termed “major immigration bill” in July, which allocates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border security operations, a sum that makes ICE the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the federal government.

In September, it was revealed that the government was transporting immigrants detained as part of its removal program in ways that violated their legal rights, often by plane.

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