DHS Head Allegedly Approved Acquisition of Ten Engine-Free Spirit Airline Aircraft Which Carrier Didn't Own

The secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security allegedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airline jets before learning that the carrier did not truly possess the aircraft – and that the aircraft lacked engines.

This bizarre anecdote was contained 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 ten Boeing 737 planes from the airline. People familiar with the situation informed the outlet that the two planned to use the planes to expand deportation flights – and for private use.

Those insiders also stated that ICE officials had warned them that purchasing aircraft would be far more expensive than simply expanding existing flight contracts.

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Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which filed for bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in August, did not own the jets and their power plants would have had to be bought independently. The proposal has since been halted, according to the report.

In the interim, Democrats on the House funding panel said in October that during this season's record-long government shutdown, the DHS had already acquired two Gulfstream aircraft for $200m.

“It has come to our attention that, in the middle of a federal shutdown, the United States Coast Guard entered into a single-source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace to acquire two new G700 luxury jets to facilitate travel for the secretary and the deputy, at a cost 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 declined to offer further details.

Congress had earlier approved the so-called “big, beautiful bill” in July, which allocates roughly $170bn for immigration and border security operations, a sum that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most heavily 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 violated their legal rights, often by plane.

Leaked data reviewed from charter airline Global Crossing detailed the journeys of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been transported around the country before removal.