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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly approved the purchase of Spirit Airlines aircraft before learning that the carrier did not actually own the aircraft – and that the aircraft lacked power plants.

This strange anecdote was detailed in a report released on the end of the week, which recounted how the secretary and a former political strategist had recently arranged to buy 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from the airline. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the pair planned to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those insiders also stated that ICE officials had cautioned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply expanding current charter agreements.

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Making the situation more complex, the airline, which entered bankruptcy proceedings for the second instance in August, did not own the jets and their power plants would have had to be bought independently. The plan has since been halted, according to the report.

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

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a government shutdown, the US Coast Guard entered into a single-source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to procure two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for you and the deputy, at a expense to the taxpayer of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the department.

A department representative told the Journal that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but declined to provide additional clarification.

The legislature had earlier authorized the so-called “major immigration bill” in the summer, which allocates roughly $170bn for immigration and border security operations, a amount that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most well-funded federal agency in the US government.

In September, it was reported that the administration was transporting individuals detained as part of its deportation agenda in ways that violated their legal rights, often by air.

Confidential information examined from charter airline Global Crossing detailed the journeys of thousands of individuals who have been shuttled around the nation before deportation.