Overview
- Pete Davidson returned as border czar Tom Homan to brief baffled ICE agents, stressing restraint and civil rights in a pointed cold open.
- The sketch referenced Greg Bovino’s removal and Homan’s installation over Minneapolis operations, mirroring recent real-world leadership changes.
- Writers mocked distraction tactics with a gag about releasing “Epstein files” and capped the scene with Homan advising agents to “maybe just try not to get filmed.”
- The segment marked the first cold open since mid-October without James Austin Johnson’s Donald Trump, signaling a tonal shift in SNL’s political approach.
- Coverage and social-media reaction framed the bit as a sharper response after backlash to last week’s “Trump Awards” cold open that sidestepped the latest Minneapolis shootings.