Pete Davidson made a surprise return to “Saturday Night Live,” and he didn’t hold back.
The former cast member stepped into the spotlight during the cold open, playing “border czar” Tom Homan in a sketch that took direct aim at recent ICE operations in Minneapolis.
Davidson wore a bald cap for the role, portraying Homan as he attempted to wrangle a room full of incompetent ICE agents.
The sketch didn’t waste time getting to its sharpest commentary.
Opening With a Bang
Davidson’s Homan kicked off the meeting by addressing why former Border Patrol Commander-at-large Greg Bovino had been removed from his position.
I want to stress that it wasn’t because he did a bad job. Or publicly lied about the shooting of an American citizen. Or even — uh-oh — dressed like a Nazi. It was that he was filmed doing these things. And the president no likey that.
The punchline landed immediately: the problem wasn’t the actions themselves, but getting caught on camera.
Confusion in the Ranks
Davidson’s character then tried to clarify the actual mission in Minnesota. What should have been straightforward became comedy gold as the agents, played by Kenan Thompson, Andrew Dismukes, and James Austin Johnson, offered increasingly absurd guesses.
When asked what they were doing in the Midwest, one agent ventured a guess that perfectly captured the sketch’s tone.
This could be wrong, but — Army?
Davidson finally revealed they were supposed to be deporting undocumented immigrants who had committed crimes. Dismukes’ response summarized the room’s comprehension level perfectly.
That is literally the first I’m hearing of that.
Distraction Upon Distraction
When Davidson asked what the agents should be looking for, Thompson’s character suggested “Epstein files.”
Davidson’s response highlighted the sketch’s layered political commentary.
Nope, nope. We actually just released those to distract from this. Which is ironic because we did this to distract from those.
The line skewered the concept of strategic news cycles and manufactured controversies designed to redirect public attention.
A Moment of Uncomfortable Clarity
As Davidson’s frustration mounted, he asked the officers what they’d actually learned from the meeting.
Dismukes delivered what might have been the sketch’s most biting moment.
This could be wrong, but: that you hired a bunch of angry, aggressive guys, gave us guns and didn’t train us, so this is maybe what you wanted to happen?
Davidson’s Homan immediately shut down this unexpected insight.
Don’t start thinking now! Drop and give me 20.
Dismukes countered with another perfectly timed response.
How about three, with knees, girl style?
The Final Ask
Attempting to salvage some semblance of order, Davidson’s character made one last appeal to his team: get out there, show restraint, and do the job without violating anyone’s rights as Americans.
When officers admitted they couldn’t manage that, Davidson offered an alternative that brought the sketch full circle.
Maybe just try not to get filmed.
Why This Sketch Resonated
Davidson’s return gave “SNL” a different energy than Johnson’s Trump impression, which had been carrying much of the political comedy load. By focusing on Homan and ICE operations, the sketch tackled current events from a fresh angle.
The comedy worked on multiple levels:
- Surface humor: Incompetent agents bumbling through basic instructions
- Political commentary: Criticism of ICE tactics and lack of accountability
- Meta observation: How optics matter more than actions in modern politics
Davidson’s delivery balanced exasperation with comedic timing, creating a character who seemed genuinely bewildered by his own agency’s dysfunction.
A Welcome Return
While Davidson left “SNL” as a regular cast member, his guest appearances continue to generate buzz. His willingness to dive into politically charged material demonstrates why he became such a memorable part of the show’s lineup.
The sketch also showcased the strength of “SNL’s” current ensemble. Thompson, Dismukes, and Johnson each got moments to shine, playing off Davidson’s energy while delivering their own memorable lines.
Comedy often serves as a pressure release valve for societal tensions, and this cold open fulfilled that function. By exaggerating real concerns about oversight, training, and accountability, “SNL” created space for audiences to laugh at—and perhaps think more critically about—serious issues.
Davidson’s closing instruction to “just try not to get filmed” encapsulated the entire sketch’s message: when substance takes a backseat to appearance, everyone loses—except maybe the comedians writing about it.