The Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kristi Noem, reportedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airlines jets, only to discover that the airline did not actually own the aircraft and that the planes were missing engines. This peculiar situation has raised eyebrows regarding government policy and resource allocation amid ongoing discussions about election reform and political strategy.

According to a report from News, Noem and Corey Lewandowski, who managed Donald Trump’s successful presidential campaign, were in talks to buy 10 Boeing 737 jets from Spirit Airlines. Sources close to the issue indicated that the jets were intended for expanding deportation flights and personal travel. Although Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials advised against the costly acquisition, suggesting that it would be more economical to expand existing flight contracts, the plan was ultimately put on hold.

Complicating matters further, Spirit Airlines, which recently filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in August, did not own the jets, and the engines would have had to be purchased separately. As news of this debacle surfaced, it prompted renewed scrutiny of government expenditures during a record-long government shutdown.

Democratic members of the House Appropriations Committee revealed that during the government shutdown, the DHS had acquired two Gulfstream jets for a staggering $200 million. Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Lauren Underwood pointed out in a letter to the DHS that, amidst the shutdown, the U.S. Coast Guard had engaged in a sole-source contract with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to procure the luxury jets for official travel, at a significant cost to taxpayers.

While a DHS spokesperson acknowledged discrepancies in the report regarding the plane purchases, they declined to provide further clarification. This controversy comes on the heels of Congress approving Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” in July, dedicating approximately $170 billion for immigration and border-related operations, which has made ICE the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in the country.

In September, a report from News highlighted that the Trump administration was moving immigrants detained as part of its deportation agenda in ways that potentially violated their constitutional rights, often through air transport. Leaked data from charter airline Global Crossing (GlobalX) revealed the extensive journeys of tens of thousands of immigrants who were shuttled around the country prior to deportation.