DHS Head Allegedly Approved Acquisition of 10 Engineless Spirit Airline Aircraft That Airline Didn't Own
The head of the US Department of Homeland Security reportedly authorized the purchase of Spirit Airline aircraft before discovering that the carrier did not actually own the planes – and that the planes lacked power plants.
This bizarre anecdote was detailed in a report released on Friday, which described how the secretary and a ex- campaign manager had recently arranged 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 sources also stated that ICE officials had cautioned them that purchasing aircraft would be significantly costlier than simply increasing existing flight contracts.
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Complicating matters further, Spirit, which entered bankruptcy protection for the second instance in the summer, did not possess the jets and their engines would have had to be acquired separately. The plan has since been halted, according to the investigation.
In the interim, Democrats on the House funding panel said in October that during this season's historically lengthy federal shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security had already purchased two Gulfstream jets for $200m.
“It has come to our attention that, in the midst of a federal shutdown, the US Coast Guard signed a sole source agreement with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to procure two new G700 luxury aircraft to support travel for you and the deputy secretary, at a cost to the public of $200 million,” Democratic lawmakers wrote in a communication to the DHS.
A DHS spokesperson told the Journal that some details in the report about the plane purchases were inaccurate but refused to offer additional clarification.
Congress had previously approved the termed “major immigration bill” in the summer, which dedicates roughly $170 billion for immigration and border-related operations, a sum that makes Immigration and Customs Enforcement the most well-funded federal agency in the US government.
In the autumn, it was revealed that the government was moving individuals detained as part of its removal program in ways that breached their constitutionally protected rights, often by plane.
Leaked data reviewed from charter airline Global Crossing outlined the travels of tens of thousands of immigrants who have been shuttled around the country before deportation.
