Mass. sheriff to ICE and public: ‘Everybody just needs to take a step back’

After a series of ICE encounters in Massachusetts, Essex County Sheriff Kevin Koppinger is urging all parties to show restraint.

BOSTON, Mass. — Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger is calling for restraint from all parties amid ICE operations.

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.

Recent ICE arrests in the Bay State have been met with resistance from members of the public.