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The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles
(New York, NY) — Late-night host Stephen Colbert ignited controversy this week by saying it’s “unfair” to compare ICE agents to Nazis — claiming Nazis “were willing to show their faces.”
His remarks on Wednesday night’s show came amid national outrage over recent incidents in Minneapolis where two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot during enforcement actions involving ICE agents. In both cases, federal authorities have insisted agents acted in self-defense, though local officials and videos shared online have raised questions and fueled protests.
Colbert was responding specifically to comments from Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who had told CNN that immigration agents were being unfairly characterized as villains. “They’re trying to portray Border Patrol agents and ICE agents as Gestapo, Nazis, and many other words,” Bovino said.
Colbert didn’t hold back in his rebuttal, calling the idea that agents are “victims” was insane and mocking those comparisons even as he quipped about Nazis showing their faces. He also criticized immigration agents for wearing masks to shield their identities during operations.
The broader monologue was part of a larger critique by Colbert of the Trump administration’s handling of immigration enforcement and its portrayal of the two fatal shootings. He sharply disputed official characterizations of Pretti and Good as threats.
Meantime, the Nazi comment has garnered outrage from some. Critics argued Colbert’s phrasing was insensitive to those who suffered under the Nazi regime and accused him of trivializing history. Some commentators called the comparison “peak leftist absurdity” or said it inadvertently suggested Nazis were somehow “better.” In addition, others defended the joke as satire aimed at mocking ICE’s anonymity tactics rather than minimizing Nazi atrocities.
