Saturday Night Live Takes Aim at Trump's Cabinet with Venezuelan and ICE Jabs

This weekend, American politics once again found its way onto the stage of Saturday Night Live, delivering a sharp satire aimed squarely at President Donald Trump's administration. The sketch focused on two particularly sensitive issues for Cubans both on and off the island: the situation in Venezuela and the tightening of immigration policies through the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

As reported by The Washington Post, SNL's first episode of 2026 kicked off with a skit featuring comedian James Austin Johnson, portraying Trump, who recounted what he called the “almost legal things” his administration accomplished over the winter break.

From a faux White House office, the character introduced his team as a collection of “freaks, monsters, and nightmares,” marking one of the season's most biting openings.

One of the most talked-about moments came when Johnson's "Trump" boasted about the overthrow of Nicolás Maduro, humorously likening him to a reverse Santa Claus, sneaking down the chimney to be whisked away in a sack.

This segment resonated with the Cuban audience, who are all too familiar with Venezuela's role in regional politics and its direct influence on Cuba.

The sketch further included a parody of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, portrayed by Cuban-American Marcello Hernández. When this character attempted to address “the Cuban people” in Spanish, Trump abruptly cut him off with a line that drew laughs but also highlighted the political exploitation of the Cuban community in the U.S.: “Not here. I didn't like that at all.”

The mockery continued with the portrayal of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem as a caricature of extreme toughness. In a sarcastic tone, the character posed grotesque questions for recruiting ICE agents, a scene that hit home for migrants living in constant fear of raids, detentions, and deportations.

The sketch concluded with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, played by Colin Jost, who boasted about the military operation in Venezuela amidst heavy metal music and tasteless jokes. He concluded with an ironic warning to other countries. The audience's laughter juxtaposed with the harshness of the message: war, repression, and migration turned into a spectacle.

Beyond the humor, the episode highlighted how political decisions that directly affect millions — migrants, exiles, separated families — can be depicted through satire without losing their symbolic weight.

As The Washington Post noted, Saturday Night Live once again used comedy to reflect real tensions. This time, Venezuela and ICE were at the heart of a script that, while comedic, struck deep chords within the Cuban diaspora.