New York - CBS News said late Sunday it had postponed a scheduled “60 Minutes” segment examining the deportation of Venezuelan migrants to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador, a decision that drew internal criticism and renewed scrutiny of the network’s editorial process.
The segment, titled “Inside CECOT,” had been slated to air Sunday night and featured interviews with Venezuelan deportees sent to the Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT. CBS had promoted the report in advance before removing it from the broadcast lineup.
In a public statement, CBS News said the piece required additional reporting and would air at a later date. The network said the decision was part of its standard editorial review process and that more context was needed before broadcast.
Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who reported the segment, disputed that characterization in an internal memo. She said the story had already cleared multiple legal and editorial reviews and had been screened several times. Alfonsi also said requests for comment or interviews were sent to the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department, but none responded.
In her memo, Alfonsi warned that allowing a lack of response from government officials to halt publication could undermine newsroom independence. She argued that the refusal to participate should not function as a reason to stop a fully vetted report from airing.
CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss said holding stories that are not yet ready for broadcast is routine in newsrooms, particularly when additional context or perspectives are needed. She said the network intends to air the segment once editorial standards are met.
The decision sparked concern among some CBS staff members and media observers, who questioned whether the postponement could affect the credibility of the long-running news program. CBS has not announced when the segment will be rescheduled.
