Homeland Security Secretary Reportedly Approved Purchase of Ten Engine-Free Spirit Airlines Aircraft Which Airline Did Not Possess

The head of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly approved the purchase of Spirit Airline aircraft before discovering that the airline did not actually own the planes – and that the planes lacked power plants.

This bizarre anecdote was detailed in a investigation released on the end of the week, which described how the secretary and a former campaign manager had recently arranged to buy 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the pair intended to use the planes to expand deportation flights – and for personal travel.

Those sources also claimed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had warned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply increasing current charter agreements.

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Complicating matters further, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy protection for the second instance in August, did not own the jets and their power plants would have had to be acquired separately. The plan has since been halted, according to the investigation.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers on the House appropriations committee said in the autumn that during this season's historically lengthy government shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security had already purchased 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 to procure two new G700 luxury jets to facilitate travel for the secretary and the deputy, at a expense to the taxpayer of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to the department.

A department representative informed the outlet that parts of its reporting about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but refused to provide further details.

The legislature had earlier approved the so-called “big, beautiful bill” in July, which allocates roughly $170bn for immigration and border-related operations, a amount that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most heavily funded federal agency in the US government.

In September, it was revealed that the government was moving individuals held as part of its removal program in ways that violated their constitutionally protected rights, often by air.

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