DHS Head Reportedly Approved Acquisition of 10 Engineless Spirit Airlines Planes That Airline Didn't Own

The head of the United States Department of Homeland Security allegedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airlines jets before discovering that the airline did not actually own the planes – and that the planes were missing engines.

This strange anecdote was detailed in a investigation published on Friday, which described how the secretary and a former political strategist had recently arranged to purchase 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. People familiar with the situation told the paper that the two planned to use the planes to increase deportation flights – and for private use.

Those insiders also claimed that ICE officials had warned them that buying planes would be far more expensive than simply expanding current charter agreements.

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Complicating matters further, Spirit, which entered bankruptcy protection for the second time in August, did not own the aircraft and their engines would have had to be bought separately. The plan has since been paused, according to the report.

In the interim, Democrats on the House appropriations committee said in October that during this season's historically lengthy government shutdown, the DHS had already acquired two Gulfstream jets for $200 million.

“It has come to our attention that, in the middle of a federal shutdown, the United States Coast Guard entered into a sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to procure two new G700 luxury aircraft to facilitate travel for the secretary and the deputy, at a expense to the taxpayer of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the department.

A DHS spokesperson informed the outlet that parts of its reporting about the plane purchases were incorrect but refused to offer further details.

The legislature had earlier approved the termed “big, beautiful bill” in July, which allocates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border security operations, a amount that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most well-funded federal agency in the federal government.

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

Confidential information examined from private airline GlobalX outlined the journeys of tens of thousands of individuals who have been shuttled around the nation before removal.