60 Minutes – January 19, 2026: Minneapolis, Inside CECOT, Salties

Episode Overview

This episode of 60 Minutes delves into three major stories:

1. The unprecedented crackdown on immigrants in Minneapolis and its community impact.
2. Inside look at El Salvador’s notorious maximum-security prison CECOT, where deported Venezuelans claim widespread abuse after U.S. deportations.
3. Australia's surging population of saltwater crocodiles ("Salties"), the clash between humans and apex predators, and the cultural debate over their conservation and risk.

1. Minneapolis: Immigration Enforcement Crisis

Main Theme:
Exploring the fallout from the largest-ever federal immigration operation in an American city, focusing on tensions between ICE agents, Minneapolis officials, and the community after the police shooting of Renee Goode.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Massive Federal Presence and Community Tension

  • 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol Agents deployed in Minneapolis (nearly 5x the local police force).
  • Chief Brian O'Hara tasked with rebuilding trust post-George Floyd.
  • Protests erupt following the shooting of Renee Goode by ICE.

• Chief O’Hara’s Warnings (05:18)

  • “We're in this 2020 moment where all these tensions have been building, and I'm afraid we're gonna have another moment where it all explodes.” (Chief O’Hara, 05:18)

• Conflicting Narratives Around Shootings and Enforcement

  • The fatal shooting of Renee Goode is polarizing: Some see a senseless killing, others see defense (08:01).
  • Vice President J.D. Vance places blame on Goode.
  • Federal prosecutors resigned after being instructed to investigate Goode rather than the ICE officer.

• Transparency and Accountability Issues

  • State investigations into ICE actions blocked.
  • Chief O’Hara expresses frustration: “Tragedy was imminent.” (07:44)
  • ICE chief Marcos Charles insists operations are “lawful and with professionalism” (11:09), but admits to no internal discipline for controversial incidents.

• Treatment of Citizens and Perceptions of Targeting

  • American citizens, notably people of color, are routinely stopped and questioned.
  • Sharon Alfonsi interviews a US citizen stopped for “appearing” foreign (15:24).
  • O’Hara notes: “We’re not getting these stories from Irish folks and Norwegian folks...” (15:31).

• Statistical Rise in Violence Against Agents and Residents

  • ICE reports attacks against officers soared to 275 nationally.
  • Community experiences tear gas, pepper spray, and unclear use of force.

• Calls for De-escalation

  • O’Hara: “It requires the president to say we're still gonna go after the worst of the worst, but we're not gonna be treating American citizens in ways that risk destroying a beautiful American city.” (17:19)

Notable Quotes

• “How dare you let this happen here? You should be ashamed.” (Local resident to Chief O’Hara, 07:21)
• “If those cops worked for me, they'd have a problem right now.” (O’Hara, after watching footage of a disabled citizen’s arrest, 13:35)
• “People have a right to say disrespectful things. As a professional, I have an obligation not to take that personally and not to retaliate.” (Marcos Charles, ICE, 10:27)
• “There's a perception out there that immigration agents...are acting with impunity.” (Lesley Stahl, 12:00)

Timestamps

• 05:18 — Chief O’Hara expresses concern about tension escalation
• 08:01 — The shooting’s polarizing interpretations
• 13:15 — Disabled American citizen’s troubling arrest
• 15:24 — US citizens stopped for “appearing” foreign
• 17:19 — Chief O’Hara’s plea for federal de-escalation

2. Inside CECOT: The U.S. Deportation Controversy

Main Theme:
A detailed investigation into the US program deporting Venezuelan migrants—many with no criminal history—to El Salvador’s maximum-security CECOT prison, documenting horrific allegations of abuse and the international fallout.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Mass Deportation and Secrecy

  • Hundreds of Venezuelans deported under the Alien Enemies Act, labeled as terrorists, sent to CECOT in El Salvador (18:31).
  • 60 Minutes interviews two Venezuelan deportees; their accounts paint a harrowing picture of systematic torture, abuse, and denial of due process.

• Conditions at CECOT

  • Prisoners describe being shackled, beaten, sexually assaulted, denied food and clean water, and kept in isolation (“the island” with no light or ventilation).
  • Lights kept on 24/7, extreme temperatures as punishment—confirmed by open-source investigators and an unguarded interview with the prison warden (31:22).

• US Involvement and Human Rights Violations

  • Human Rights Watch’s Juan Papier: nearly half deported had no criminal record; ICE's own data shows only 3% were violent offenders (24:53).
  • DHS refused to disclose full records, citing national security.
  • A federal judge recently ruled the US maintained “constructive custody” over the deportees and had to provide due process (34:30).

• Political and Legal Fallout

  • President Trump praised El Salvador’s prison system.
  • DHS: “We are confident in our law enforcement's intelligence...not going to share intelligence reports...” (34:19).

Notable Quotes

• “When we got there, the CECOT director...told us we would never see the light of day or night again. He said, welcome to hell. I'll make sure you never leave.” (Deportee, 20:40)
• “They beat me until I bled to the point of agony. They knocked our faces against the wall. That was when they broke one of my teeth.” (Deportee, 22:16)
• “Of the 252 men, that data shows...eight of them [were convicted] for violent or potentially violent crimes.” (Sharon Alfonsi, 34:06)
• “If you can bring together that with the physical evidence, I think you have the strongest possible case for accountability, whether it's the court of public opinion or at some point in a court of law.” (Alexa Koenig, Berkeley Investigations Lab, 32:06)

Timestamps

• 18:31 — Overview of CECOT deportations
• 20:40 — Deportee: “Welcome to hell...”
• 22:16 — Details of beatings and torture
• 24:53 — Data on the men’s criminal history
• 31:22 — Warden confirms 24/7 lights as punishment
• 34:06 — Breakdown of criminal charges

3. Salties: Coexistence with Australia’s Crocodiles

Main Theme:
A colorful, nuanced report on Australia’s saltwater crocodiles (“salties”)—their resurgence, role in the ecosystem, dangers to humans, and the cultural divide between eradication and respect.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Crocodile Conservation and Human Conflict

  • Saltwater crocs can exceed 20 ft in length and weigh over a ton.
  • Hunting ban in the 1970s saved them from extinction; their numbers soared (~150,000 now), fueling conflict with humans.

• Croc Ranger Tom Nichols’ Stories

  • “If it didn’t spin, I would have been alright. But trouble is he spinning. He spun all my hand around.” (Lost half his hand in a croc 'death roll,' 38:54)
  • “Now, this size crocodile...he would drown you quite easily. He'd take you down and under underwater...” (38:28)

• Diverging Australian Views

  • Bob Katter (MP): Fierce advocate for repealing the croc hunting ban; frames law as valuing reptiles over people (43:21).
  • Indigenous guides revere crocs as a totem, hunt selectively; others see them as income via tourism.

• Coexistence and Respect

  • Trevor Sullivan, Indigenous croc keeper: “They're not just pet, they're family.” (41:20)
  • “Crocodiles are way misunderstood. They've survived the times of the dinosaurs... Humans are far more scary.” (Nichols, 40:04)

• Fatalities and Public Education

  • ~50 deaths in 50 years despite the dramatic croc population recovery.
  • Most fatalities involve ignoring clear safety advice.

Notable Quotes

• “They're family.” (Trevor Sullivan, croc keeper, 41:27)
• “A law that puts the value of crocodile over a human being, that is the definition of evil.” (Bob Katter, MP, 43:21)
• “It's the best fun being able to coexist with saltwater crocodiles. The most dangerous predator on earth...your croc attacks are almost non existent.” (Trevor Sullivan, 45:38)

Timestamps

• 38:28 — Ranger Nichols on the danger of croc attacks
• 41:27 — “They're family.” - Sullivan
• 43:21 — Bob Katter on hunting ban
• 45:38 — Indigenous views on coexistence

Memorable Moments

• Chief O’Hara’s Vulnerability:
  Clearly shaken by video footage: “If those cops worked for me, they'd have a problem right now.” (13:35)
• Firsthand Accounts of Prison Torture:
  “The torture was never ending...They would take you there and beat you for hours...” (Deportee, 27:44)
• Australian Ranger’s Gallows Humor:
  “Yeah, pick my nose with my left.” (After losing fingers to a croc, 39:03)
• Indigenous Spiritual Connection:
  “It's like a crocodile in us. We’ve been together for a very long time.” (44:48)

Conclusion

This episode paints a vivid, unsettling portrait of three different but urgent frontlines: the domestic struggles over federal immigration enforcement and civil liberties, the dark reality of offshoring deportations to secretive prisons with little oversight, and the timeless struggle between humans and nature in Australia’s wild north. The reporting is balanced, featuring diverse, impassioned voices, and nuanced in its approach to controversial issues.

For Listeners

Key topics examined:

• Civil rights and policing in Minneapolis
• International human rights and U.S. deportation policy
• Environmental conservation vs. human conflict in Australia

For a full transcript and more info, visit the official 60 Minutes website.