After facing harsh criticism last week for staging a satirical “Trump Awards” cold open in the hours after Alex Pretti’s killing in Minneapolis, Saturday Night Live took direct aim at ICE this week in a rare Trump-free cold open featuring the return of former cast member Pete Davidson.
Davidson headlined the sketch, playing White House “border czar” and newly installed commander of ICE operations in Minnesota Tom Homan. Homan assumed the role earlier this week, replacing Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino. In the sketch, Homan addresses a group of ICE agents, who are portrayed as out of shape and out of touch.
The sketch unfolds with Davidson’s Homan attempting—mostly in vain—to reintroduce ICE agents to the purpose of their presence in Minneapolis. When Homan asks why they’re there, the agents offer a series of baffled responses, from “army?” to “wilding out,” making it clear they have little grasp of their stated mission.
The joke sharpens when Davidson’s Homan lists his own real-world controversies—separating families at the border and allegedly taking a $50,000 bribe—before marveling that he somehow comes off as “the upstanding, reasonable adult in the room.”
Davidson has visited SNL three times since closing out his eight-year run as a cast member in 2022, hosting in October 2023, and staging two earliercameos, including a visit to “Weekend Update” earlier this season. His return tonight coincides with the show’s 1,000th new episode.
Tonight also marked the first time James Austin Johnson hasn’t portrayed Donald Trump in a cold open since mid-October, breaking an eight-episode streak. Though Johnson’s Trump is often uncanny, the show itself has faced persistent criticism for leaning into the president’s buffoonishness instead of taking a more sharp-edged political approach.
I appreciated the period when Colbert refused to say the DJT name and there were amusing euphemisms.
Nice while it lasted…
Now every damn night there is a firehose of footage, quotes and mimicry ad nauseam. It’s overwhelming and fouls my sleep.
They’re feeding his addiction to attention of any kind! It’s gasoline on the flaming pile of shit!
While I understand this level of dementia needs to be addressed, I am just burned out and can’t see that putrid face or hear that adolescent whining voice anymore. His diarrhea of the mouth is contaminating the entire world now! 🤢🤮
All care – givers (and we care about our democracy) need a break at times. Especially those who do dementia care.