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The Trump administration is warning Massachusetts communities to stay clear of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations or else. But one local law enforcement leader is urging calm from all parties.
Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger is calling for restraint after recent encounters between federal law enforcement and the public that have become more confrontational, including last week in Worcester and Tuesday in Waltham.
“Everybody just needs to take a step back,” said Coppinger, who formerly served as chief of the Lynn Police Department.
Most recent incident in Waltham occurred Tuesday when video showed ICE agents smashing the glass of a van to take a man out and handcuff him as community members pleaded for them to stop.
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Recent ICE arrests in the Bay State have been met with resistance from members of the public.
“We have to maintain the peace — not take sides, but maintain the peace so nobody gets hurt,” Coppinger said.
He deals with ICE on a regular basis at the county jail. He said his involvement with the federal agency is limited by state law, unable to hold inmates for them who post bail.
He said the lack of collaboration between ICE and local law enforcement shouldn’t limit their communication, especially when agents are out in the streets.
“My request to ICE in general would be notify local police and the district attorneys or any local law enforcement that may be involved, especially in light of all the chaos and all the tension that’s in our communities now over this,” he said.
Community members across Massachusetts are reacting to recent ICE activity, with protesters taking to the streets in Worcester and advocates in Waltham working to inform people of their rights.
“You’re separating families. These are hard working people. They’re not criminals,” yelled one woman who confronted ICE agents on Moody Street in Waltham Tuesday morning. “I hope when you die, you know you did the right thing!”
Retired ICE San Antonio Deputy Field Director Julian Calderas said he’s noticed a lot more hostility recently. He warned that a situation can easily turn violent, especially if agents feel threatened.
“If [the public] have a problem with what they’re seeing or observing, there is many different ways that they could express that dissatisfaction, but I certainly would not get involved,” he said.
Calderas added that ICE can arrest people without presenting a warrant.
“If they’re here illegally, and they know they’re here illegally, they can arrest them. I think when people ask for a warrant or an order, I’m not sure people know exactly what they’re asking for,” Calderas said. “If they have an order from the judge that was ordered in absentia, the person didn’t show up for court and they were ordered deported, that’s one order. They’ve got a reinstatement of a prior deportation, that’s another order that’s an administrative order — they’re not all from the judge, you know? And then you’ve got some that may have committed a felony and entry after a felony, that’s a separate thing. So there’s some little nuances, but the common theme is if they go into a place and they’re looking for one person that they have an order of deportation for, and there’s five people there they don’t have an order for, but they’re here illegally, then they can arrest them, too.”
Video shows federal agents breaking the window of an SUV and forcing a man out of the vehicle while his wife and child were inside as the family was leaving church.
“I think what people are concerned with is when they show up looking for one specific person, ‘Show me the warrant,’ they’re getting a lot of that — they’re not going to come to their door if they don’t have a reason for it,” he added.
U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley issued a statement Wednesday threatening criminal charges against anyone who interferes.
“The interference with ICE operations around Massachusetts has been disturbing, to say the least. This conduct poses significant public and officer safety risks. It is conduct that should be vilified rather than glorified,” Foley wrote. “I will not stand idly by if any public official, public safety officer, organization or private citizen acts in a manner that criminally obstructs or impedes ICE operations. The United States Attorney’s Office, along with our federal partners, will investigate any violations of federal law and pursue charges that are warranted by such activity.”
BOSTON, MA — An international restaurant group with locations across the globe is preparing to open its first Massachusetts restaurant this year.
LPM Restaurant & Bar, a French Riviera-inspired restaurant founded in London, is set to open on the second floor of the Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street in Back Bay, according to Four Seasons. The hotel lists the restaurant as “Opening Summer 2026,” while the Boston Business Journal reported the restaurant plans to open in September.
The Boston restaurant will mark LPM’s debut in the Northeast and its third U.S. outpost, following locations in Miami and Las Vegas, according to a Four Seasons announcement.
LPM, also known as La Petite Maison, was founded in London in 2007 and is known for French-Mediterranean food, Mediterranean ingredients and dining rooms influenced by Belle Époque design.
The business operates locations in London, Dubai, Miami, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Riyadh, Limassol, Doha, Mykonos, Kuwait, Boston, Maldives and Bangkok.
Four Seasons said LPM will take over the space that formerly housed One Dalton’s breakfast concept, One + One. The restaurant will join other dining options at the hotel, including Zuma and Trifecta.
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A Massachusetts high school is under investigation after “several” teachers have been diagnosed with breast cancer or precancerous conditions.
The state Department of Public Health is set to visit Uxbridge High School on Thursday to “conduct a series of air quality tests,” to determine whether the multiple cases are potentially connected.
Superintendent David Ljungberg and Principal Michael Rubin alerted families and district staff on Monday of the “sombering news,” after Uxbridge High School’s graduation over the weekend.
“We are writing to inform you about a concern we are investigating at Uxbridge High School,” Ljungberg and Rubin stated in the letter. “Several female teachers have been diagnosed with breast cancer or precancerous conditions over the past few years.”
“It is, of course, possible that these multiple cases are not connected to one another,” the leaders added, “but out of abundance of caution, we are looking into any environmental factors at the school that may be a factor in their diagnoses.”
The 123,000-square-foot school, with an enrollment of roughly 600, was constructed in 2012 at a cost of $45 million, including a $22-million state reimbursement.
Uxbridge school leaders say they notified the state Department of Health and local health board as soon as they became aware of the cases, seeking “counsel about how best to proceed.”
“Massachusetts DPH officials have indicated that there is no evidence of immediate danger in the building and no reason to limit access to or use of the facility at this time,” they wrote in their letter. “In fact, the public health officials have commended our decision to approach them with these concerns, our readiness to partner with them in support of the evaluation process.”
Health officials are assessing the school’s interior and exterior to “ensure there are no issues with the infrastructure that would present risks (including electrical, plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, and other systems)” and the indoor and outdoor air quality on campus.
The superintendent and principal said that state officials have ruled out water supply as a “risk factor” after “thorough testing.”
“The team has reached out to the women who have been diagnosed, requesting data to evaluate whether there may be a connection among their cases,” Ljungberg and Rubin wrote. “We are grateful for their cooperation.”
They added that the state has said discovering an environmental “smoking gun” is “rare” in workplace investigations.
“However, even if a direct causal link is not established,” the leaders wrote, “the administration is utilizing this process to rigorously test the building and guarantee that it meets all safety standards moving forward.”
Local News
Massachusetts lawmakers are considering a measure that would allow cities and towns to temporarily extend bar and restaurant hours during the summer, as the state prepares to host FIFA World Cup matches and celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
The legislation (H.5465) filed by state Rep. Carole Fiola, would allow licensed establishments to sell alcohol one hour later than their normal closing time, up to 3 a.m., between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2026. The bill would also allow communities to establish designated public consumption districts where alcohol could be consumed in approved public spaces.
In a press release announcing the bill, Fiola said the summer’s threefold events lineup — the World Cup, Tall Ships, and July 4th — is an economically significant moment that the state should take advantage of.
“We should capitalize on these events that will generate economic benefits for small businesses and the state as a whole. It’s a local opt-in idea worth exploring that’s being done in other states,” Fiola said.
The proposal has received support from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and most recently Gov. Maura Healey, who submitted written testimony Monday to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies urging lawmakers to advance the measure.
“Massachusetts is planning for a once-in-a-generation summer,” Healey wrote, according to the Boston Globe. “In 2026, we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, welcome tall ships from around the world to Boston Harbor for Sail Boston, and host seven FIFA World Cup matches in Foxborough, along with watch parties across the Commonwealth.”
The governor argued that the added flexibility could help local economies benefit from an influx of visitors.
“That flexibility can help communities capture more visitor spending, support jobs, keep downtowns active, and strengthen Massachusetts’ image as a dynamic destination ready to host the world and a place our residents, including our young professionals, are proud to call home,” Healey wrote.
She also urged lawmakers to move the legislation forward, saying it will “help Massachusetts meet the full economic and cultural opportunities for the summer ahead.”
In Rhode Island, a similar bill to allow bars and restaurants to remain open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup was signed into law on Friday.
Fiola’s bill remains before the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. Any final version would require approval from both the House and Senate before reaching Healey’s desk.
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