CBS News pulled the 60 Minutes segment Inside CECOT, which reported on El Salvador’s CECOT prison where deported migrants were detained, hours before its scheduled air time to allow for additional reporting.

Editor-in-chief Bari Weiss reportedly spiked the piece, raising questions about editorial independence and potential political influence over coverage.

Alfonsi and her team say the segment had cleared internal reviews and sought comments from U.S. government agencies, criticizing the cancellation as political censorship and a threat to journalistic integrity.

Weiss allegedly raised concerns about references to migrants and suggested additional interviews, including with White House or senior officials, before the piece could air.

CBS News leadership changes under Weiss included her appointment as editor-in-chief and the later naming of Tony Dokoupil as CBS Evening News anchor, noting broader strategic concerns within CBS News and Paramount Global.

The incident is set against ongoing political tensions, including past clashes between Trump and 60 Minutes, criticism from Trump allies about coverage, and related ownership changes at Paramount.

Context notes indicate ongoing scrutiny of how immigration deportations and facilities are portrayed in U.S. media, with this case contributing to the debate on press freedom.

The planned segment featured Alfonsi interviewing deportees about brutal conditions at CECOT, with a teaser showing detainees and police, and was delayed three hours before being postponed.

Background context cites reports from the National Immigration Law Center about numbers of deportees sent to CECOT and subsequent releases or repatriations, highlighting concerns over due process.

Additional context notes emphasize lack of full government disclosure at the time, such as not releasing all deportee names, contributing to the reporting challenges.

Alfonsi argues the subjects risked their lives to speak, asserting a moral obligation to air their voices and accusing the decision to spike the story of betraying journalistic ethics.

The report, produced by Oriana Zill de Granados and aired by Sharyn Alfonsi, was postponed with an editor’s note indicating it would air in a future broadcast after further review.