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The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly approved the acquisition of Spirit Airline aircraft before discovering that the airline did not truly possess the planes – and that the aircraft lacked power plants.

This bizarre incident was contained in a report released on Friday, which described how the official and a former political strategist had recently attempted to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the two intended to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for private use.

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

Immigration officials confronting intense criticism after video apparently shows unconscious man clutching infant during arrest.

Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in August, did not own the jets and their engines would have had to be acquired independently. The plan has since been paused, according to the investigation.

In the interim, Democrats on the House funding panel said in the autumn that during this season's historically lengthy federal shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security had already acquired two Gulfstream aircraft for $200 million.

“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a federal shutdown, the United States Coast Guard signed a sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to procure two new G700 luxury jets to support travel for you and the deputy, at a cost to the public of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the department.

A DHS spokesperson informed the outlet that some details in the report about the plane purchases were inaccurate but refused to offer further details.

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

In September, it was reported that the administration was transporting immigrants held as part of its removal program in ways that breached their constitutionally protected rights, often by plane.

Confidential information examined from charter airline GlobalX outlined the travels of thousands of immigrants who have been transported around the country before removal.