CBS's flagship investigative programme, 60 Minutes, has abruptly shelved a high-cost segment examining the controversial El Salvador megaprison housing US deportees, prompting fresh concerns about media accountability and the real price Americans are paying for President Donald Trump's immigration policies.
The iconic newsmagazine confirmed that the segment titled 'Inside CECOT' would be broadcast at a later date rather than its scheduled Sunday slot. The timing has raised eyebrows, coming just days after Trump publicly praised CBS's new owners, the Ellison family, at a rally in North Carolina on Friday.
What the Delay Could Cost Viewers and Taxpayers
Investigative segments of this kind typically require substantial resources. Industry data suggests that 60 Minutes' overseas reporting, especially in high-security environments requiring specialised access, insurance, and security measures, can cost between $125,000 to $200,000 (£93,000 to £149,300) per segment.
With production costs likely exceeding $150,000 (£111,900), the delayed segment represents a significant investment in accountability journalism—aimed at scrutinising how American tax dollars fund Trump's controversial deportation programme.
For the CECOT investigation, correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi gained rare access inside the Terrorism Confinement Centre, interviewing deportees who described 'four months of hell' in the maximum-security facility. Such access demands extensive pre-production planning, security arrangements, and on-ground logistics—all of which are now on hold.
'Did you think you were going to die there?' Alfonsi asked one deportee.
'We thought we were already the living dead,' the deportee replied.
CBS News stated the segment was pulled because it 'needed additional reporting'.
The Deportation Programme Under the Microscope
The shelved report was set to expand on earlier 60 Minutes coverage that revealed troubling findings about the administration's deportation justifications. A previous investigation found that 75% of the 238 men sent to CECOT in March had no criminal record. Only 22% had any criminal history, mostly for non-violent offences such as theft, shoplifting, and trespassing. Three per cent had unclear records.
Among those deported was Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland father whose case became a flashpoint after the Trump administration admitted he was wrongfully removed due to an 'administrative error'. Following a Supreme Court order instructing the government to 'facilitate' his return, he was brought back to the US on 6 June 2025.
The administration accused the deportees of links to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, yet data suggests the vast majority posed no documented threat.
Why This Matters for Your Wallet
American taxpayers are funding these deportation operations—from transportation and detention costs to diplomatic arrangements with El Salvador's government. When investigations into such expenditure are delayed, public oversight diminishes, raising concerns over transparency.
Trump has worked closely with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele to establish the CECOT programme. He has also floated the idea of expanding it to include 'homegrown criminals', potentially US citizens.
'There is no provision under US law that would allow the government to kick citizens out of the country,' said Erin Corcoran, an immigration law expert at the University of Notre Dame.
Questions of Editorial Independence
Trump's complex relationship with 60 Minutes adds another layer. Paramount, CBS's parent company, paid Trump $16M (£11.9) in July 2025 to settle a lawsuit over a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris, which he claimed was unfairly edited.
'For those people that think I am close with the new owners of CBS, please understand that 60 Minutes has treated me far worse since the so-called takeover,' Trump wrote on Truth Social last week, even as he publicly praised the network's new leadership.
Whether the delay reflects editorial caution, logistical issues, or external pressure remains unclear. What is certain is that a significant investment in accountability journalism—examining how taxpayer funds support controversial deportation policies—has been postponed, with no confirmed broadcast date.
For viewers seeking transparency on immigration spending, the wait continues.
