Controversy Surrounds Malian Asylum Seeker Featured on ’60 Minutes’

Recently, “60 Minutes” aired a segment about Moussa Diawara, a Malian national who was deported by the Trump administration. The story portrayed Diawara as a dedicated husband and father. However, his asylum application tells a different story, raising questions about his claims of homosexuality.

Diawara’s case became a focal point in discussions about immigration fraud. ICE highlighted the discrepancy, stating that Diawara claimed to be homosexual to avoid deportation to Mali. “60 Minutes” shared a phone conversation with Diawara, recorded from an undisclosed location in Africa, speaking with his family in the U.S.

The controversy centers on Diawara’s 2009 asylum application. In it, he claimed a fear for his life if returned to Mali due to persecution based on his sexual orientation. He detailed past punishment and a ban from Malian activities because of being openly gay.

“My asylum application is based on a well-founded fear of life-threatening persecution if I return to Mali, due to my sexual orientation,” Diawara wrote.

Despite these claims, a segment on “60 Minutes” focused on his family life and highlighted concerns over his conversion to Christianity, while omitting his asylum claim of being persecuted for homosexuality. DHS General Counsel James Percival criticized the segment for overlooking evidence of immigration fraud, pointing out that many fear-based claims are dubious.

A “60 Minutes” insider defended their report, noting that they covered concerns of Diawara’s religious persecution fears, acknowledging DHS’s challenges to his credibility. The report revealed Diawara had fled Mali after deportation, now living in an undisclosed African country.

Percival shared his experience being interviewed for the segment, expressing disappointment about selective editing that left out significant parts of his interview about public safety threats.

ICE reiterated their stance on social media, questioning the authenticity of Diawara’s homosexual claim, labeling the report as “poorly researched.”

Amidst the criticism, it remains uncertain if CBS was aware of the discrepancies in Diawara’s claims during the production of the “60 Minutes” segment.