Defense Veterans Assist State Officials
A small group of approximately 10 former and current Department of Defense employees has been secretly advising state governments on how to counter efforts by President Trump to interfere with the upcoming November midterm elections, according to a report by The Washington Post.
The group, which includes individuals with experience opposing authoritarian governments overseas, has been working under the radar to help states prepare for potential federal overreach. Two members of the group spoke anonymously to the Post, stating they were not motivated by political affiliation or bias but rather by concerns that Trump is undermining election integrity to protect himself and Republican allies.
The officials have shared documents with the publication and have consulted with election officials, governors, and members of Congress across 10 states. The group’s efforts span both Democratic and Republican jurisdictions, focusing on states and localities where races are expected to be close enough to determine which party controls Congress after the midterms.
State Preparedness and Federal Response
The group maintains constant contact with congressional staffers and has facilitated ongoing meetings in at least one state. Their primary objective is to help states make their election protocols more difficult for the federal government to exploit.
One member of the group told the Post that many officials are "concerned but don’t know what to do." The group hopes that states will be prepared for any contingencies should they arise, according to the anonymous source.
The White House has responded to reports of interference by denying any wrongdoing. Spokesperson Lauren Bis claimed Trump is only pushing for stricter election laws and that the administration is taking decisive action to protect elections by prosecuting crimes, strengthening security, and protecting voters from fraud and coercion.
Detention Death Raises Immigration Concerns
In a separate development regarding federal enforcement actions, The Texas Tribune reported that Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, a 56-year-old lawful permanent resident, died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention at the Rio Grande Processing Center.
ICE detained Andrade-Covarrubias on June 26 while he was returning to Texas from Mexico through Laredo, claiming he failed to disclose a prior arrest when applying for his green card in 2004. Andrade-Covarrubias was scheduled to appear at an immigration court hearing on November 2; his cause of death was unknown as of Monday.
Andrade-Covarrubias’s daughter, Estefani Andrade, claimed her father had disclosed his criminal record during the application process and was still approved. She stated that her father had a heart condition, diabetes, high blood pressure, and lasting health tolls from Covid-19, and that staff refused to give him medication when he reported symptoms like coughing and difficulty breathing.
ICE maintained that Andrade-Covarrubias failed to disclose a prior arrest when applying for his green card in 2004, justifying the detention on those grounds.