60 Minutes CBS “Left Behind, South Africa’s Refugees, Is That Art?” February 22 2026
CBS’s 60 Minutes returns on Sunday, February 22, 2026, with a timely and thought-provoking broadcast that examines economic hardship in rural America, an international political controversy, and the growing debate over artificial intelligence in the art world. Airing from 7:00 to 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+, this edition brings viewers three in-depth reports that explore the human impact behind major national and global issues.
Left Behind
Correspondent Cecilia Vega reports from McDowell County, West Virginia, a place that once stood at the heart of America’s coal industry. Formerly the nation’s largest coal producer, the county now faces deep economic hardship and is among the poorest communities in the country. The area also carries a long history with federal assistance programs, including being one of the places where the modern food stamp program began.
Today, the challenges are stark. One in three households relies on SNAP benefits to put food on the table, and the community has also been hit hard by the opioid crisis. Vega speaks with residents who have experienced cycles of economic decline and shifting government support over the years. As federal lawmakers consider one of the largest funding cuts to SNAP in the program’s history, the report asks what the future may hold for families who depend on it. The segment is produced by Ayesha Siddiqi.
South Africa’s Refugees
Anderson Cooper travels to South Africa to examine a controversial immigration policy and the debate surrounding it. After former President Donald Trump announced a plan to permanently pause migration from what he described as “third world countries,” the administration made one notable exception: the resettlement of white South African refugees, many of them Afrikaners.
The policy was based in part on claims that white farmers in South Africa face genocide, an assertion strongly disputed by the South African government and many analysts. Cooper speaks directly with South Africans across different communities to better understand the realities on the ground, the concerns of farmers, and the broader social and political context. The report aims to separate rhetoric from lived experience and explore how the issue is viewed within the country itself. Michael Gavshon and Nadim Roberts are the producers.
Is That Art?
The final segment turns to the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence and its growing presence in the art market. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi explores how AI-generated works are now being exhibited by major museums and sold through prestigious auction houses, reigniting a long-standing question: what qualifies as art?
At the center of the discussion is Refik Anadol, a Turkish-American artist widely regarded as a pioneer in AI-driven creative work. Anadol describes the technology as revolutionary, capable of opening entirely new forms of artistic expression. Not everyone agrees. Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jerry Saltz has dismissed much of the movement, while some traditional artists argue that AI art relies too heavily on existing human work, calling it the greatest art heist in history. Produced by Michael Baltierra, the segment examines both the promise and the controversy surrounding this new creative frontier.
With its mix of economic reporting, international perspective, and cultural debate, this week’s 60 Minutes offers a wide-ranging look at issues shaping conversations in the United States and around the world.
