US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reportedly attempted to buy 10 Spirit Airlines jets for deportation flights and personal travel, only to discover the airline did not own the aircraft and they lacked engines, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
The plan, arranged with Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, was paused after Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials warned it would be more expensive than expanding existing flight contracts. Spirit Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy in August, did not own the jets, and engines would have required separate purchase.
Separately, Democrats revealed in October that the Coast Guard acquired two Gulfstream G700 jets for $200m during a government shutdown. Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Lauren Underwood questioned the sole-source contract in a letter to DHS.
A DHS spokesperson said parts of the Journal's reporting were inaccurate but declined to elaborate. The failed purchase comes as Congress approved $170bn for immigration operations, making ICE the most heavily funded federal law enforcement agency.
