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The secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security allegedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airlines aircraft before discovering that the airline did not truly possess the aircraft – and that the aircraft lacked power plants.

This bizarre incident was detailed in a investigation published on Friday, which described how the official and a ex- campaign manager had recently arranged to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from the airline. Sources with knowledge told the paper that the two planned to use the planes to increase removal flights – and for personal travel.

Those insiders also claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had cautioned them that purchasing aircraft would be far more expensive than simply expanding current charter agreements.

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

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers on the House funding panel said in October that during this season's historically lengthy federal shutdown, the DHS had already acquired two Gulfstream aircraft for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a federal shutdown, the US Coast Guard signed a single-source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace to acquire two new G700 luxury aircraft to facilitate travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the public of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a communication to the department.

A department representative informed the outlet that parts of its reporting about the plane purchases were incorrect but declined to provide further details.

Congress had previously approved the so-called “major immigration bill” in July, which allocates roughly $170bn for immigration and border-related operations, a sum that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the federal government.

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

Leaked data examined from private airline Global Crossing outlined the travels of tens of thousands of individuals who have been shuttled around the country before removal.