Politics

News Segment on Deportations Pulled, Sparking Internal and White House Criticism

Illustration for: News Segment on Deportations Pulled, Sparking Internal and White House Criticism
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Dec 25, 2025

THE BARE STORY

A television news segment about Venezuelan men deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador was delayed from its scheduled Sunday broadcast, with the network stating it required "additional reporting." The segment has since aired in Canada and has also been leaked online. In a staff memo, the network's editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, defended the decision as part of a mission to ensure stories are "comprehensive and fair," writing that the piece "was not ready."

The segment focused on Venezuelan men sent to the CECOT prison under the Trump administration. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reported that half of the 252 men deported there had no criminal backgrounds. The piece featured interviews with deported men who described poor conditions and torture, and who claimed they were not criminals or gang members. It also included interviews with a Human Rights Watch official and researchers from UC-Berkeley's Human Rights Center.

The decision to delay the broadcast reportedly created an internal dispute. In a leaked memo, correspondent Alfonsi alleged the move was "political" rather than editorial, stating that the factually correct story had passed five internal reviews. In contrast, notes from Weiss reportedly criticized the segment for lacking an on-camera Trump administration official and for including a "strange" section with university students.

The matter also prompted a reaction from the White House. Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller called for the firing of the segment's producers, describing it as a "hatchet job" designed to create sympathy for gang members, and specifically mentioned the Tren de Aragua gang. The leaked version of the segment did not include statements reportedly provided by the White House, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the State Department. According to Alfonsi, DHS had previously declined an interview request for the story.

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• The segment was deemed incomplete and not ready for broadcast. In a staff memo, the network's editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, defended the delay by stating the story "was not ready." She asserted that the network's mission is to ensure stories are "comprehensive and fair," implying the segment did not yet meet this standard and required "additional reporting."

• A White House official characterized the report as a biased attack. Stephen Miller, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, described the segment as a "hatchet job." He called for the producers to be fired, alleging the piece was designed to create sympathy for gang members and specifically mentioned the Tren de Aragua gang.

• The report was criticized for lacking key perspectives and official statements. Leaked notes from Weiss reportedly pointed out the segment's failure to include an on-camera interview with a Trump administration official. Furthermore, the version of the segment that was leaked online did not include statements that were reportedly provided by the White House, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• The controversy may influence public debate on U.S. deportation policy, contrasting claims of human rights abuses with concerns about deporting alleged gang members.

• Public trust in news reporting could be affected by the internal dispute over whether the segment was delayed for editorial fairness or due to political pressure.

• The White House's official response could shape how future immigration policies are presented and debated in the media, influencing the information available to the public.

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