🔗 Share this article

The secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security allegedly approved the acquisition of Spirit Airlines jets before discovering that the carrier did not truly possess the planes – and that the planes were missing engines.

This strange incident was detailed in a report published on the end of the week, which described how the official and a former political strategist had recently arranged to buy 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the pair intended to use the jets to increase 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 expanding current charter agreements.

Immigration officials facing intense criticism after video apparently shows unresponsive individual clutching child during arrest.

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

Meanwhile, Democrats on the House appropriations committee said in the autumn that during this season'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 government shutdown, the United States Coast Guard entered into a single-source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the taxpayer of $200 million,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the department.

A DHS spokesperson informed the outlet that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but refused to offer additional clarification.

Congress had previously approved the so-called “big, beautiful bill” in July, which dedicates roughly $170bn for immigration and border security operations, a sum that makes ICE the most heavily funded federal agency in the US government.

In September, it was reported that the administration was moving immigrants held as part of its removal program in ways that violated their legal rights, often by air.

Leaked data examined from charter airline GlobalX outlined the travels of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been transported around the country before deportation.