Michael Che Made An ICE Joke On “SNL” — And Here’s Why Some People Aren’t Laughing

Saturday Night Live is getting attention for its response to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

Colin Jost and Michael Che as news anchors seated at a desk in the SNL studio with a world map backdrop, wearing suits and ties

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Alex was shot and killed on Saturday, just weeks after the shooting death of 37-year-old mother Renee Nicole Good. The Department of Homeland Security says Alex was killed in self-defense, claiming he “violently resisted” an agent’s attempts to disarm him. However, videos reviewed by CNN, the New York Times, CBS News, and multiple other outlets appear to contradict those statements.

Protesters holding signs that read ICE OUT outside a modern building

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According to Minnesota officials, Alex was legally permitted to carry a firearm and had no criminal record. His family described him as a dedicated nurse, “a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends,” and someone who also cared for “American veterans” in his work.

Photo of a memorial for Alex Pretti with a framed picture, a rosary, and a sign saying Rest In Peace Alex Pretti

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During this weekend’s Weekend Update segment, Michael Che addressed the incident directly.

Michael Che on stage, wearing a denim jacket and cap, holding a microphone, smiling mid-performance

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He began by referencing Vice President JD Vance’s recent comments encouraging critics of ICE to “write an op-ed in the newspaper” or “argue about [their feelings] on social media.” Michael said, “Vice President JD Vance criticized protesters confronting ICE officers, saying they should instead write an op-ed or argue about it on social media. You know, just like these young scholars did on January 6th,” before displaying an image from the 2021 storming of the US Capitol.

Crowd gathered in front of the U.S. Capitol building, some holding flags, during a public demonstration

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“I get that ICE agents are people, allegedly, and they have a job to do,” he continued. “But at some point while you’re pepper-spraying old ladies or shooting at a nurse, do you ever stop to ask yourself, ‘Are we dicks?'”

Michael Che wearing a plaid shirt over a hoodie and a cap with a letter is seated, looking to the side

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The line drew laughs from the studio audience, but some viewers found it “tame” and underwhelming, given the circumstances.

Michael Che in a hoodie with headphones speaks into a microphone during a recording session

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“That was extremely lame compared to what just happened,” one Reddit user wrote. “They should have been making re controversial and focusing on what actually happened, maybe not even make fun of it.”

Another agreed it was “not harsh enough!!”

“This is ass. Unfunny and no bite,” one person said. Others called the moment “weak” and “embarrassing.”

Some viewers argued that joking about the situation at all was inappropriate.

Protesters at a rally hold signs, including one reading RIP Alex Pretti amidst other demonstrators displaying various messages

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“I can’t laugh at this,” one person said. “A man was just executed in front of my local donut shop. Take a fucking stand.”

Michael Che in formal tuxedo and shirt at a red carpet event

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Another said the show should have canceled the episode altogether, calling the decision “poor taste.” “I know that SNL is supposed to be funny, but this is absolutely not something that should be taken lightly by any measure at this point,” one more added. “Nothing about what is happening has comedy written on it. This needs to be taken 100% seriously with practical action being taken. All this does is numb stupid people to what’s going on and make them think, well if it’s being joked about it must not be as big of a deal. People need to wake the fuck up.”

Narratives clash after Trump and victim’s family react to second Minneapolis shooting

Narratives over the Minneapolis shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti clashed over the weekend as President Donald Trump’s administration accused him of violently resisting arrest, while his family remembered him as a “kind-hearted soul.”

Pretti, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, is the second person to be shot and killed in Minneapolis this month. Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem said the victim, who was armed, “violently resisted” arrest and that the federal agent fired his weapon “fearing for his life.”

Footage of the incident shows an agent disarmed Pretti shortly before he was killed. He entered into the initial scuffle with agents as he tried to assist another protester who had been pushed by law enforcement.

A federal judge soon blocked the Trump administration from “destroying or altering evidence” related to the shooting on Sunday.

Anti-ice Agitator Allegedly Bites Off Federal Officer’s Finger During Minneapolis Attack

Photo of Alex J. Pretti

This undated photo provided by Michael Pretti shows Alex J. Pretti, the man who was shot by a federal officer in Minneapolis on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.
(AP Newsroom

The ruling came after the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension filed a lawsuit Saturday to prevent the destruction of evidence in the case.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, names DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and U.S. Border Control, as well as Attorney General Pam Bondi, as defendants.

In granting the temporary injunction, Judge Eric Tostrud wrote that federal officials and those acting on their behalf cannot destroy evidence taken from the scene of the south Minneapolis shooting or now in their exclusive custody, which state authorities say they were previously barred from inspecting.

Border Patrol-involved Shooting Reported In Minneapolis

A cabinet official addresses reporters as a firearm image is displayed behind her on a large screen.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks beside a screen showing an image of a handgun during a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 24, 2026.

A hearing on the order has been scheduled for Monday.

Pretti’s parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, said Saturday that they are “heartbroken but also very angry,” and condemned the version of events presented by law enforcement as “sickening lies.”

“Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital,” the couple wrote.

Gun Rights Groups Clash After Man Dhs Says Was Armed Fatally Shot By Cbp In Minneapolis

A law enforcement officer deploys a chemical spray toward a man during a confrontation on a city street.

A screengrab from a video shows a law enforcement officer spraying irritants at Alex Pretti before he was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 24, 2026.

“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed,” they continued.

Meanwhile, Trump highlighted that Pretti was armed and carrying two extra magazines at the time of the shooting. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller went further than other members of the administration, calling Pretti a “would-be assassin” who “tried to murder federal law enforcement,” adding that he is a “domestic terrorist.”