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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airline aircraft before learning that the carrier did not truly possess the planes – and that the aircraft were missing engines.

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

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

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Making the situation more complex, the airline, which filed for bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in August, did not possess the aircraft and their engines would have had to be bought separately. The plan has since been halted, according to the investigation.

In the interim, Democratic lawmakers on the House appropriations committee said in the autumn that during this fall's record-long government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security had already purchased two Gulfstream aircraft for $200 million.

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

A DHS spokesperson told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were inaccurate but declined to provide further details.

Congress had previously approved the termed “major immigration bill” in the summer, which allocates roughly $170bn for immigration and border security operations, a sum that makes ICE the most well-funded law enforcement agency in the federal government.

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

Leaked data reviewed from charter airline Global Crossing outlined the journeys of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been transported around the country before deportation.