SNL Cuts Sketch Mocking ICE After Minnesota Nurse’s Death

Saturday Night Live cut a sketch from its January 17 episode that took shots at ICE agents. The bit came hours after federal agents killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse and mother of three, in Minneapolis. New cast member Tommy Brennan, a St. Paul native, performed the nearly four-minute monologue during dress rehearsal but it did not make the live show.

Background

Tensions in Minnesota have run high since the Department of Homeland Security started Operation Metro Surge last month. The operation has led to 3,000 arrests in recent weeks as part of stepped-up immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Protests broke out across the state, with crowds gathering outside federal buildings in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The situation turned deadly on January 7 when ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Nicole Good outside a residential house. Good, who worked as an ICU nurse in Minneapolis, was caught in the middle of a raid gone wrong. Witnesses said agents opened fire after protesters confronted them, pelting officers with food and spit at nearby gas stations. The Department of Homeland Security called the agitators a threat, but local leaders saw it differently.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey spoke out right away. He told federal agents to leave the city. Minnesota officials followed up with a lawsuit against the Trump administration. They said the raids broke the Constitution and overstepped state rights. President Trump threatened to use the Insurrection Act to send in troops but backed off the next day. A federal judge then stepped in, limiting how agents could handle protesters. The ruling blocked retaliation against peaceful crowds and banned broad use of riot gear.

The White House pushed back, promising even more enforcement in Minneapolis. Vice President J.D. Vance told locals to stop fighting ICE agents. He suggested they write op-eds or debate online instead. Protests kept going, with demonstrators demanding an end to the raids.

Key Details

Tommy Brennan joined SNL this season. For the show's return after holiday break on January 17, he prepared a personal bit for Weekend Update. He sat at the desk and talked about the unrest back home.

Brennan started light. He joked about his looks and said no one needed his take on the news. But he wanted to share something from the protests that gave him hope. He played a viral video of an ICE agent slipping on ice during a patrol. The agent fell hard, got up, and jogged back to his car. The live audience laughed loud.

The Sketch Breakdown

Brennan replayed the clip several times. Each time, cheers grew louder. He noted how Minnesotans, known for being polite, went wild over the slip.

"Did you hear the absolutely ecstatic reaction from the people around him? Minnesotans are famously nice — do you know how hard it is to get us to bully you? Here they are, squealing with joy. They sound like when kids meet Mickey Mouse." – Tommy Brennan

He turned sarcastic next. Brennan said he was not happy about someone getting hurt. Then he added:

"Just to be clear, I’m not reveling in another person’s pain. If I wanted to do that, I would join ICE." – Tommy Brennan

Brennan got serious for a moment. He praised Minneapolis as a city of immigrants. He shared stories of growing up on soccer teams full of kids from immigrant families. They were fast, he said, and hard to catch. He tied it back to the video, saying locals know how to handle ice.

The bit ended with a punchline. Brennan yelled to leave Minnesota alone. The audience applauded. Producer Lorne Michaels cut it for time, as often happens between dress and air. SNL posted it on YouTube and social media later. It got over 300,000 views and nearly 200,000 likes on Instagram.

Fans had mixed reactions. Some called the cut cowardly. They wanted it on live TV and asked for more Minnesota bits soon. Others shared puns like 'Not even ice supports ICE.'

ICE has not commented on the sketch or the events.

What This Means

The sketch highlights how entertainment shows like SNL wade into real-world fights. Brennan's words mix humor with pain from Good's death and the raids. It shows divides: federal push for enforcement versus local pushback.

Protests may grow if raids continue. Minnesota leaders want ICE out. The lawsuit could set rules for future operations. A judge's order limits force, but the White House plans more agents.

SNL's choice to post online keeps the conversation going. It reaches fans who missed the live show. Brennan's bit defends his home while landing jokes. It comes at a time when late-night TV often tackles politics.

Good's family mourns amid the noise. She leaves three kids and a job helping patients. Her death sparked the latest wave of anger. Community groups hold vigils. They call for justice and change.

Federal agents keep patrolling. Reports say they face harassment at stops. DHS points to attacks on officers. Locals say raids tear families apart. Both sides dig in.

The clip's release adds fuel. Viewers see Minnesota's side through laughs. It may rally more support for protesters. Or it could draw heat from those backing enforcement. SNL stays in the mix, as it has for years on hot topics.

Next week's show could address it again. Fans push for that. Brennan might return to the desk. The unrest in Minnesota shows no sign of slowing. Raids go on, courts weigh in, and protests fill streets.