Archive · 23 Dec 2025
60 Minutes Pulls Segment on Trump Deportations
60 Minutes was going to show a story about how the Trump administration sent some Venezuelan migrants to a very tough prison in El Salvador.
But they decided to wait and show it later because they wanted to get a comment from the Trump administration.
The reporter who made the story, Sharyn Alfonsi, said the story was ready and pulling it was a bad decision.
She said the migrants risked a lot to tell their stories, and not showing the story was like betraying them.
Some people who work at CBS News are upset and might quit because they think the decision was wrong.
Others on social media also criticized CBS News, saying they were acting like they were controlled by the government.
Instead of the story about the migrants, 60 Minutes showed a different story about a family of musicians.
60 Minutes pulled a planned segment on the Trump administration's deportation of Venezuelan migrants to a harsh El Salvador prison hours before its scheduled broadcast.
CBS News stated that the segment needed additional reporting, specifically an on-the-record comment from a Trump administration official.
Reporter Sharyn Alfonsi criticized the decision, calling it a political move and a betrayal of journalistic principles.
The segment was to feature accounts of deportees about 'brutal and tortuous conditions' in CECOT prison.
The decision sparked severe backlash on social media, with accusations of corporate censorship, and some staffers reportedly threatened to resign.
- Who
- CBS News, 60 Minutes, Reporter Sharyn Alfonsi, Venezuelan migrants, Trump administration
- What
- 60 Minutes pulled a planned segment on the Trump administration's deportation of migrants to a harsh El Salvador prison
- When
- Sunday evening, just hours before the planned broadcast
- Where
- United States, El Salvador
- Why
- CBS News determined the segment needed additional reporting, specifically an on-the-record comment from a Trump administration official
CBS News Management
60 Minutes Reporter and Critics
Reason for Pulling the Segment
CBS News Management
CBS News stated that the segment needed additional reporting, specifically an on-the-record comment from a Trump administration official.
60 Minutes Reporter and Critics
Reporter Sharyn Alfonsi argued that the segment was factually correct and ready to air, and that pulling it was a political decision.
Journalistic Standards
CBS News Management
CBS News management maintained that the decision was editorial and based on the need for more reporting.
60 Minutes Reporter and Critics
Alfonsi and critics claimed that the decision set a dangerous precedent where the government could control what airs, turning 60 Minutes into a 'stenographer for the state.'
Impact on Sources
CBS News Management
CBS News did not publicly address the impact on the sources but focused on the need for additional reporting.
60 Minutes Reporter and Critics
Alfonsi emphasized that the Venezuelan deportees risked their lives to share their stories and that pulling the segment was a betrayal of journalistic duty to give voice to the voiceless.
- Segment Title
- Inside CECOT
- Original Air Date
- Sunday evening (unspecified date)
- Reason for Pulling
- Additional reporting needed, specifically an on-the-record comment from a Trump administration official
- Replacement Segment
- Interview with a family of celebrated classical musicians in Nottingham, England
- Segment Focus
- Deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador and conditions in CECOT prison
- Reporter's Response
- Sharyn Alfonsi criticized the decision, calling it a political move and a betrayal of journalistic principles
- Public Reaction
- Severe backlash on social media, with accusations of corporate censorship and comparisons to government mouthpieces
- Staff Reaction
- Some staffers reportedly threatened to resign over the decision
Sources
’60 Minutes’ Pulls Planned Segment On Trump Administration’s Deportation Of Migrants To Harsh El Salvador Prison; Show Says Report Will Air In Future
CBS postpones ’60 Minutes’ report on El Salvador’s CECOT prison
CBS News accused of 'corporate censorship' by own reporter after shelving '60 Minutes' segment on Trump's deportations
Bari Weiss Tells CBS News Staffers ’60 Minutes’ Piece Needed To “Do More,” Cites Need To Get Principals “On The Record And On Camera”
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deportees
Here's a Peek at the '60 Minutes' Segment Pulled by CBS Hours Before Broadcast | WATCH
