DHS Head Reportedly Authorized Acquisition of 10 Engineless Spirit Airlines Planes Which Airline Did Not Possess
The head of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the acquisition of Spirit Airlines aircraft before discovering that the airline did not truly possess the planes – and that the planes lacked engines.
This bizarre anecdote was contained in a report published on Friday, which described how the official and a ex- political strategist had recently attempted to buy 10 Boeing 737 aircraft from Spirit Airlines. Sources with knowledge told the paper that the pair intended to use the planes to expand removal flights – and for private use.
Those insiders also stated that ICE officials had cautioned them that buying planes would be significantly costlier than simply expanding existing flight contracts.
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Making the situation more complex, Spirit, which entered bankruptcy proceedings for the second time in August, did not possess the jets and their power plants would have had to be acquired 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 fall'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 US Coast Guard signed a single-source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace to acquire two new G700 luxury jets to facilitate travel for the secretary and the deputy secretary, at a expense to the public of $200m,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to the department.
A DHS spokesperson informed the outlet that some details in the report about the aircraft acquisitions were incorrect but declined to offer further details.
The legislature had earlier authorized the termed “big, beautiful bill” in July, which dedicates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border security operations, a sum that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most well-funded law enforcement agency in the federal government.
In the autumn, it was reported that the administration was moving individuals detained as part of its deportation agenda in ways that breached their legal rights, often by plane.
Leaked data reviewed from private airline GlobalX detailed the journeys of thousands of immigrants who have been shuttled around the nation before deportation.
