The Next Level – Episode 1051: LIVE: Lil’ Greg Bovino Sent Home; Tom Homan In (January 27, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this urgently topical live episode, hosts Sarah Longwell, Tim Miller, and Jonathan V. Last (JVL) take a deep dive into the political uproar surrounding the demotion of controversial Border Patrol figure Greg Bovino, the reemergence of Tom Homan, and the aftershocks from ICE and DHS abuses in Minnesota. The trio break down shifting public opinion, the wider consequences for the Trump administration, and the ongoing debate over Second Amendment hypocrisy. They mix deep analysis, sharp wit, and insider anecdotes—making this episode a must-hear for political observers.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Fall of Greg Bovino and the ICE Shakeup

• [00:30-03:22] The show kicks off with the hosts discussing the demotion and removal of Greg Bovino, notorious for his extremist image and scandals as Border Patrol chief, now headed back to California.
  • JVL notes, ironically: “Life's greatest delicacy is that if you wait long enough, eventually you get to see bad things happen to bad people. Yesterday, bad things happened to Gregory Bovino, Ober Group and Furor of the Border Patrol. Lover of Nazi regalia.” ([01:00])
  • Discussion of Bovino’s infamous "old lesbian" aesthetic and internet memes.
  • Sarah is disturbed by the White House removing Bovino's access to his own social media feeds, raising free speech concerns: “...makes me very nervous. As a champion of free speech, I do not like it to know that the White House is preventing one of our public service servants from communicating with us.” ([02:08])
• [03:22-05:50] Tom Homan, known for his hardline immigration stances, returns; the group debates whether this is a shift in deportation policy or just a PR fall guy.

2. Trump Administration Accountability and the ICE/Border Crisis

• [06:24-10:39] The hosts discuss the pattern of Trump world "rehabilitating" problematic figures (Corey Lewandowski, Kristi Noem) and whether Bovino's removal signals substantive change.
  • Tim is openly skeptical it represents real reform: “Will they actually change anything? That remains to be seen.” ([05:02])
  • The conversation expands to the massive law enforcement budgets, the inertia of ICE and CBP as institutions, and the lack of Congressional oversight.

3. Public Opinion Shifts After ICE Killings in Minnesota

• [09:15-14:31] JVL observes a meaningful shift in public opinion after high-profile killings, indicating new leverage for Democrats.
  • “You now have not a majority but a plurality of voters who think you should actually defund ice, like who are done with it.” ([09:52])
  • Host consensus is that policymakers must invest in real oversight, vetting, and better standards for ICE/DHS hires.

4. Democrats’ Dilemma: Legislative & Political Leverage

• [14:31-17:23] Intense discussion of upcoming DHS funding debates, the challenges of going to the brink of a shutdown, and how Democrats should use newfound public support.
  • Tim: "What is your off ramp? ...eventually Democrats back down just basically because of ...things that were needed." ([14:37])
• Campaign against impunity: The show stresses the importance of continued protest and legislative oversight even amidst minor wins like Bovino's ouster.

5. Demand for Transparency and Accountability

• [17:23-26:58] Stories about masked ICE agents, ongoing aggressive tactics, and stonewalling around fatal shootings keep the pressure on for full investigations—highlighting a lack of basic transparency even for local officials.
  • Sarah: "The governor of Minnesota doesn't know who killed him. The mayor of...Minneapolis doesn't know who killed this resident of his city." ([24:56])

6. Second Amendment Hypocrisy

• [36:07-44:02] The team explores the cognitive dissonance among conservatives around the Second Amendment in the wake of ICE killing armed citizens exercising their rights.
  • Sarah: "There are some conservatives who seem to genuinely believe in the Second Amendment and other conservatives who seem to believe the Second Amendment does not apply to the groups they don't like. Yeah, that is very interesting to me." ([36:43])
  • Tim: "I never can look with a straight face again at a single conservative who tries to say that the Second Amendment is there to protect people from government tyranny. I will never again look at that with straight face." ([37:53])
  • JVL details the sudden right-wing narrative shift: citizens carrying guns went from being patriots to being suspected threats, exposing selective application of rights ([39:05-42:19]).

7. Reflections on Political Accountability

• [51:30-56:35] Discussion turns to the lack of resignations or moral stands taken by administration officials—even as public revulsion grows.
  • JVL: “...the American public assumes that they must have done nothing wrong, because the average American thinks, well, if it was so bad, somebody would do something about it.” ([32:44])

8. American Attention Span and Global Trust

• [58:05-62:43] Brief pivot to last week's fleeting crisis about Trump threatening war with Denmark over Greenland, with insight into how global allies react to U.S. volatility.
  • “...the rest of the world...the EU signed a monster trade deal with India today...the world is just moving on without us.” ([58:51])
  • Consequences: Allies don't trust the U.S. any more, and America's ability to lead on liberal democratic values is diminished.

9. Electoral Fallout and Realignment

• [64:54-69:52] Minnesotan gubernatorial candidate drops out in protest; speculation whether more defections and realignment could happen as institutional abuses pile up. Discussion of new candidate Alexander Vindman running for Senate in Florida, and the challenges of Democratic (and independent) candidacies in deep red states.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On public accountability:
  “You can’t let them. You have to be on offense.” – JVL ([28:00])
• On the status and expectations for ICE reform:
  “They are still in their masks. They're still in the streets. Right. Like, there are still a lot of things to protest.” – Tim Miller ([24:36])
• On the shifting political moment:
  “What is remarkable to me...is there's not that much that breaks through in a real way. ...with Alex Preddy, everyone had seen the video.” – JVL ([18:50])
• On Second Amendment hypocrisy:
  “They love tyranny when they're the tyrants.” – Sarah Longwell ([37:53])
• On the inertia of law enforcement agencies:
  “If you have that much money...they have a mission of going to go after undocumented immigrants on the interior of the country, there's going to be more of this stuff happening, even if Trump kind of wants it to be a little more chill.” – Tim Miller ([08:02])
• On the accountability vacuum:
  “Not a single one of them looked at this and was like, we did a murder, and that's two. And then we smeared the person that we killed. And that's too far for me. It's pretty shocking that not a single person felt that that was too far.” – Tim Miller ([55:28])

Important Timestamps

• 00:30 – 03:22: Opening banter, demotion of Greg Bovino, introduction of Tom Homan
• 05:02 – 06:22: Trump’s use of scapegoats and return of old figures
• 09:15 – 10:39: Public opinion shift on ICE
• 14:31 – 17:23: Dems’ dilemma in DHS funding fight
• 18:50 – 19:39: Focus group reactions, video of Preddy's killing breaks through
• 24:56 – 26:08: Lack of transparency on ICE shootings
• 36:43 – 44:02: Second Amendment hypocrisy laid bare post-Minnesota
• 51:30 – 56:35: On the lack of resignations and moral reckonings
• 58:05 – 62:43: Reflections on the quickly forgotten Greenland crisis, global fallout
• 64:54 – 69:52: Alexander Vindman runs, state-level political realignment

Conclusion

This episode captures a moment of political volatility: new cracks showing in public support for ICE and Trump’s border policies, Democratic leverage on the rise, yet skepticism remains about the depth of any real reform. The hosts bring humor, pathos, and unrelenting skepticism to the biggest political questions of the week while never shying away from pointing out the deeper institutional rot or the selective invocation of American values.

For listeners: This episode is essential for understanding the current crossroads on immigration, agency accountability, and shifting political power dynamics. Its textured, insightful conversation does more than recap the news—it dissects the story as it’s being written.