The landmark 1,000th episode of “Saturday Night Live” featured a surprise return from former cast member Pete Davidson, who took on the role of Upstate New York native Tom Homan. The episode aired on September 9, 2023, and Davidson’s appearance was part of the show’s iconic cold open, where he portrayed Homan, who served as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) director under former President Donald Trump.
In the skit, Davidson’s Homan interacted with current cast members, including Kenan Thompson, James Austin Johnson, Mikey Day, Ben Marshall, Andrew Dismukes, and Jeremy Culhane. The humor took a sharp turn as Davidson’s character addressed the firing of the previous border czar, Greg Bovino. “Now, I’m sure a lot of you are wondering why Greg Bovino was dismissed,” he quipped. “I want to stress that it wasn’t because he did a bad job or publicly lied about the shooting of an American citizen… It was that he was filmed doing these things. And the president no likey that.”
Davidson’s portrayal of Homan included both humorous and critical commentary on U.S. immigration policies. He emphasized that ICE is “not here to intimidate, racially profile, or violate anyone’s rights.” In a provocative turn, he suggested that the increase in arrests aimed to “distract” from ongoing investigations related to the Epstein files.
The comedic performance took on a self-referential tone when Davidson, breaking character, acknowledged the absurdity of his portrayal: “Look, I’m Tom Homan, okay? I’m the ‘separating families at the border’ guy, I’m the ‘on film, taking a $50,000 bribe’ guy, and y’all are making me look like the upstanding, reasonable adult in the room. That’s crazy!”
Homan, who hails from West Carthage, New York, recently took over as a border czar for the Department of Homeland Security in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He previously served as ICE director during Trump’s first term and was named border czar at the start of the second term. In an interview with Fox News prior to the “SNL” skit, Homan asserted, “To set the record straight… President Trump’s backing off on his promise of mass deportation — that’s just untrue.”
As the skit aired, neither Homan nor Trump had provided immediate comment regarding Davidson’s humorous take on their policies. In addition to Davidson’s performance, another segment of the episode featured a character portrayed by Ashley Padilla, who expressed uncertainties about her support for Trump, adding to the show’s political satire.
Davidson, 32, is well-known for his stand-up comedy and acting career, having been a cast member on “SNL” from 2014 to 2022. His work includes notable projects such as “Big Time Adolescence,” “The King of Staten Island,” and “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.”
The 1,000th episode of “Saturday Night Live” marks a significant milestone for the long-running sketch comedy show, which first premiered in 1975. Fans can stream episodes on demand via Peacock, allowing a new generation to experience the cultural phenomenon that “SNL” has become over the decades.
