CBS cancels CECOT’s prison segment ’60 Minutes’, sparking backlash
CBS pulled a “60 Minutes” show about El Salvador’s CECOT prison hours before it aired, citing “the need for further reporting.”
The “60 Minutes” segment about El Salvador’s infamous giant prison that CBS canceled last month finally aired on Sunday, Jan. 18, weeks after the network pulled it off the air hours before it was scheduled to air.
“CBS News leadership has always been committed to airing 60 Minutes Secott productions as soon as they are ready. Tonight, viewers will see them along with other important stories,” the network said in a statement.
The “Inside CECOT” segment investigated El Salvador’s notorious anti-terrorism prison known as CECOT. Human rights groups have condemned dangerous conditions at the maximum-security facility, which has become a symbol of President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration crackdown.
The facility has been used to house some immigrant detainees from the United States as part of an agreement with El Salvador.
Sunday’s broadcast included comments from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, details on deportees’ criminal histories, and additional coverage of those with tattoos, the station said. The report featured correspondent Sharin Alfonsi speaking with Venezuelan men who were later released and describing conditions inside the facility as “brutal and torturous.”
The section’s description states, “Last year, the Trump administration deported hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador, a country with which they had little ties, claiming they were terrorists.” “This unusual move led to a continuing legal battle, but 10 months later, the U.S. government still has not released the names of all those deported and incarcerated at CECOT, one of El Salvador’s harshest prisons.”
The segment was shelved in December 2025 after CBS said additional reporting was needed. The station also removed the link to the segment page that same day and said the report would be aired at a later date.
A CBS spokesperson earlier told Reuters that an early version was accidentally streamed on Canada’s Global TV app and then spread widely online. The decision to postpone the show was controversial, raising suspicions of political interference.
In an email to colleagues obtained by multiple news organizations, including Reuters, Alfonsi said the decision to eliminate the segment was “a political decision, not an editorial one.” She also reportedly said that the film had been screened five times and was cleared by a lawyer.
The decision comes as Paramount Skydance has introduced changes to the network since being selected to lead CBS News in October 2025 following Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of The Free Press, an online publication founded by Bari Weiss.
Weiss, a former opinion writer for the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, was seen by some analysts as a controversial figure because he had never previously managed a television newsroom or produced broadcast news content.
Contributor: Melina Khan, USA TODAY. Reuters
