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The secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security reportedly approved the purchase of Spirit Airline aircraft before learning that the carrier did not actually own the aircraft – and that the planes lacked power plants.

This bizarre incident was detailed in a report released on Friday, which described how the secretary and a former political strategist had recently attempted to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. Sources with knowledge informed the outlet that the pair intended to use the jets to expand removal flights – and for private use.

Those sources also claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had cautioned them that buying planes would be far more expensive than simply expanding existing flight contracts.

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Making the situation more complex, the airline, which entered bankruptcy protection for the second instance in the summer, did not possess the jets and their power plants would have had to be acquired separately. 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 record-long 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 middle of a government shutdown, the US Coast Guard entered into a sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to procure two new G700 luxury jets to support travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the public of $200m,” Democratic representatives wrote in a letter to the DHS.

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

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

In September, it was revealed that the administration was moving immigrants detained as part of its deportation agenda in ways that violated their constitutionally protected rights, often by plane.

Leaked data reviewed from charter airline GlobalX detailed the journeys of thousands of immigrants who have been shuttled around the nation before removal.