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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airline aircraft before discovering that the carrier did not truly possess the aircraft – and that the planes lacked engines.

This strange incident was detailed in a report released on the end of the week, which described how the official and a ex- campaign manager had recently attempted to buy 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the pair intended to use the jets to expand removal flights – and for private use.

Those insiders also claimed that ICE agents had warned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply increasing existing flight contracts.

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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 aircraft and their engines would have had to be acquired independently. The proposal has since been paused, according to the report.

In the interim, Democrats on the House appropriations committee said in the autumn that during this season's record-long federal shutdown, the DHS had already acquired two Gulfstream jets for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a government shutdown, the United States Coast Guard entered into a sole source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace to procure two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for the secretary and the deputy secretary, at a cost to the public of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the department.

A department representative informed the outlet that some details in the report about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but refused to provide further details.

Congress had earlier authorized the so-called “major immigration bill” in the summer, which dedicates roughly $170 billion for immigration-related and border security operations, a amount that makes ICE the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the federal government.

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

Confidential information reviewed from charter airline Global Crossing detailed the travels of tens of thousands of individuals who have been transported around the country before removal.