Earlier this year, Chula Vista Elementary School District Trustee Jessica Tolston’s job looked like it might pose a threat to her campaign for the school board.
Tolston is a Democrat running for a four-year term in a predominantly Latino district where fears of immigration enforcement run high. She was appointed to her first partial term in office in 2025.
When she sought county Democrats’ endorsement in May, a group of Latino party activists raised questions about Tolston’s job as a management and program analyst in the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Biometric Identity Management.
“Is a current DHS employee the best person to protect our immigrant school children and their families?” the group asked.
Tolston assured Democrats her work did not involve immigration enforcement.
She provided a resume to party leaders that listed various administrative and office management duties at DHS’s San Diego headquarters. None of the duties appeared related to immigration enforcement.
But according to an earlier version of Tolston’s resume obtained by Voice of San Diego, her work for DHS actually involved extensive work with computer systems used by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency to track, arrest, detain and deport immigrants.
The earlier resume, which Tolston submitted to the Chula Vista Elementary district when she applied to fill a two-year vacancy on the school board in January 2025, listed six separate ICE-related duties.
In a statement to Voice, Tolston acknowledged she used a different version of her resume when seeking Democrats’ endorsement. But she said she never intended to deceive anyone and has always been transparent about her work.
“The different resumes reflect different points in my career and different purposes,” she said. “That was not an attempt to conceal my employment history or mislead anyone about my work.”
Tolston acknowledged the earlier version of her resume “included responsibilities involving administrative access to ICE-related systems.”
But she said her job had changed a year later when she sought Democrats’ endorsement.
The point is moot now, Tolston said, because she’s had a change of heart.
“I have now resigned from federal service,” she wrote in a statement emailed to Voice. “There are moments when your principles are tested, and you have to decide what you are willing to sacrifice for them. I could no longer continue serving in an environment that conflicted with my values simply because leaving would be difficult.”
Tolston did not specify when she left her DHS job or how she now earns a living. Her LinkedIn profile lists her as a federal government program analyst.
Tolston’s ICE-related work appears in close to half the duties she listed in the resume she sent to Chula Vista Elementary in January 2025.
Among those duties:
- Acting as the biometric identity office’s “direct representative with all… ICE… system-related issues.”
- Supervising the process by which ICE agents gain access to databases and other tools used in immigration enforcement.
- Helping ensure that fingerprints, facial scans and other forms of identification are readily available in databases such as ”the ICE Enforce Alien and Removal Module,” which tracks immigrants through detention and deportation proceedings.
- Serving as the ”primary approver” for a software system that makes identification information collected in San Diego available to nationwide DHS databases.
Apart from the removal of the references to ICE and one other reference to working on “special law enforcement” projects, the version of Tolston’s resume submitted to Democrats is identical to the one she gave the school district.
At the time Tolston joined the Chula Vista Elementary school board, she had been working at DHS’ San Diego headquarters for close to 13 years.
Previously, she worked for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency in Orange County and at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of the United States Coast Guard.
In her application, Tolston said she wanted to join the board because her 7-year-old son’s school had provided crucial support to her family when Tolston’s husband, a military veteran, died of cancer in 2023.
“I forever will be grateful for their attention and constant support,” Tolston wrote.
From the start, Tolston found herself thrust into the tumultuous politics of the Chula Vista board.
She was a compromise pick after divided board members deadlocked in their efforts to fill a seat vacated when one board member engaged in an unorthodox electoral maneuver to oust a fellow board member he disagreed with.
She quickly became a reliable ally of the teachers union, which often plays a decisive role in district elections.
Union leaders decided to endorse her this year over fellow Democrat Debra McLaren, a former principal and administrator in the district.
Union President Rosi Martinez said, for teachers, Tolston’s “student-centered vision [and] frequent check-ins with labor groups to make sure she’s labor-friendly” outweighed McLaren’s more extensive educational experience.
Tolston said she “discussed my work [with the union and] was also clear that I do not support ICE policies and enforcement practices that negatively affect students, families and communities.”
The Chula Vista school board has been split in recent years between a three-member Democratic majority and two Republicans who frequently question board decisions and say current district leaders have steered the district into a deficit.
Tolston’s opponent, McLaren, has echoed some of those criticisms. If elected, she could tilt the balance of power on the board away from what Martinez has described as a cooperative relationship between the union, the superintendent and the board majority.
In divided votes at both a caucus of South County Democrats and the party’s Central Committee, party leaders looked past Latino Democrats’ objections and gave Tolston their endorsement.
Neither Martinez nor Democratic Party Chairman Will Rodriguez-Kennedy said they felt deceived by Tolston’s characterization of her work.
If anything, they said, they admired Tolston for deciding to quit her job.
Rodriguez-Kennedy acknowledged Tolston did not give a complete picture of her work in the resume she provided to Democrats.
“When… we see such cruelty in our government [in immigration policy], it tests a lot of people,” he said. “I think it tested Jessica Tolston as well. I think she thought it was best to obscure the references to ICE specifically.”
Rodriguez-Kennedy said Tolston was more forthcoming in a one-on-one conversation with him during the party’s endorsement process.
“She told me… she dealt with data systems, working for the office of biometric information and management,” he said. “She did not go into how much she dealt with ICE. [But] she did not try to obscure it.”
Rodriguez-Kennedy said Tolston assured him “she was not in enforcement and was not an agent and did not detain people.”
Tolston said her principles should not be in question.
“I chose my principles knowing the personal and financial consequences,” she said. “I stand by that decision and will continue dedicating myself to serving and strengthening our community.”
Debra McLaren locked students in a closet while principal at Camarena Elementary. Then, former Superintendent Escobedo promoted her to Director of Equity. When is VOSD publishing that story?
If this is true why didn’t you report it? You are all mandated reporters. You can be charged for not reporting abuse or for making false statements so what is it? Did you not report abuse as a mandated reported or is this a lie?
If this is true why didn’t you report it? You are all mandated reporters. You can be charged for not reporting abuse or for making false statements so what is it? Did you not report abuse as a mandated reported or is this a lie?
Jessica has worked at DHS since the Obama administration, over a decade of federal service, not some partisan appointment. There’s no shame in doing your job to support your family, especially as a single mom carrying that load alone after losing her husband, a veteran, to service-related illness. When the work stopped sitting right with her, she left. That took real courage, and it should be respected, not picked apart. Shame on those pushing this, especially when their candidate cannot stand on their record.
I get this might be a slow week for news Jim but the city of Chula Vista has real problems that deserve VOSD’s attention. Let’s focus there.
I am wondering why anyone has issues with factual reporting? In most job applications ‘misleading’, ‘erroneous’ information is cause for disqualification – should it not be for Party endorsements?
There are no words for this.
In a statement to Voice, Tolston acknowledged she used a different version of her resume when seeking Democrats’ endorsement. But she said she never intended to deceive anyone and has always been transparent about her work.
“The different resumes reflect different points in my career and different purposes,” she said. “That was not an attempt to conceal my employment history or mislead anyone about my work.”
Tolston acknowledged the earlier version of her resume “included responsibilities involving administrative access to ICE-related systems.”
And it says now she resigned from her job there due to “change of heart”. How can we trust her if she conceals information?
How is she getting funds now?
Who is funding her if she is no longer employed with DHS?
How can anyone be trusted in an elected position who conceals information? It’s unethical!
Why is the teachers union desperate to keep her in this position? What is this student centered vision she has? No one has ever heard it since all she ever says in a meeting is second to a motion! She adds nothing of value to the board meetings.
The issue is not even that she worked for DHS. The issue is that she gave one resume for her appointment and a whole other resume concealing information on her ICE duties for an endorsement. The fact that leaders of the South County Democratic Party stand behind this endorsement when this was brought to their attention as a concern from their party is a disgrace. Will Kennedy should resign. Party over ethics will get us nowhere. It makes us the same as MAGA.
Omitting is the same as lying. Lying as a public servant is in many cases illegal. She should get caught up quick on those rules. Being a single mom won’t save her from the law and court of public opinion now that she is a politician.
It’s worth noting that the same person calling for higher ethical standards in South County schools was herself removed from the Sweetwater board and pleaded guilty to a gift-disclosure violation during the corruption scandal that rocked that district. If Ms. Lopez wants to hold current trustees to an ethics standard, voters should know what standard she was held to when she was the one on the board. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/south-bay-school-corruption-case-ends-with-guilty-pleas/71548/
Return all out taxpayer money that you received Bertha Lopez!
RESPECTFULLY – I am fully aware of what happened regarding Ms Lopez. While I don’t have a ‘refund’ for you I will share ‘facts’. Ms. Lopez went TO THE DA AND FBI – her efforts helped to contribute to the ‘then’ PAY TO PLAY at SUHSD. Ms. Lopez continues to champion for our Students and Taxpayers. She accepted ‘a dinner’ which she didn’t report and accepted the consequences for that error. Additionally anyone reading these comments understands Ms. Lopez has hit a nerve in her valiant efforts toward ethical standards. For the record, I know the case (Largest Corruption Case in SD History as labeled by then Ms Bonnie Dumanis, District Attorney) – my name is on first page of the search warrant – I was 1 of the 5 labeled ‘antagonists’ who gathered the information and took it to the FBI and DA. Note of consideration – you present yourself as one of those attempting to deflect – hmmmmmm, I wonder why.
Following up. The South Bay should be glad we have champions like Ms Bertha Lopez – a political figure who saw PAY TO PLAY happening and was courageous enough to do something to stop it – she walked out of that courthouse a hero. All here attempting to defend the dysfunction should take stock. For the record it took 3 1/2 years of quiet investigative HARD WORK, painstaking data gathering AND VALIANT INSIDERS PLACING THOSE FACTS UNDER OUR DOORMATS. Are our doormats busy again????
Hello Ms. Cheers, I mean anniej. Let’s not rewrite this one. Ms. Lopez didn’t just observe the pay-to-play scheme from the outside, she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for accepting gifts above the legal limit and failing to disclose them, as part of that same case. That’s not a footnote, that’s the plea. “Hero” is a strange word for someone who was a defendant in the case, not just a witness to it. If gathering information while also being on the take is heroism now, the bar has moved significantly. And cooperating with prosecutors after you’ve already been charged isn’t the same thing as blowing the whistle before anyone catches you, those are two very different timelines, and only one of them makes you a hero. She was fine participating on the gifts and the dinners until gandara stop doing what Bertha wanted then all changed. The Internet remembers, and a simple google search for bertha Lopez SUHSD will give you all the public needs to know. No hero here!. Bertha tried to run again in 2014 but people had the receipts and lost that election.
Good Morning: Respectfully – yes, back in the day we all used names other our own – ‘I came out’ when they accused ‘anniej’ (parts of my name) of being Karen Janney and decided if I was not courageous enough to own my name I had no business commenting – what’s that saying “a person’s name is only as good as his word”. I have the courage and tenacity to stand by my words – it appears you do not or you fear some type of retribution if you share yours. Now, to the point – what does Ms. Lopez have to do with anything regarding this article which identifies Ms. Tolston stated misleading information relevant to her employment? I was intricately involved in the case you continue to bring up – you were not. So, can we focus on the article rather than Ms. Lopez. As I read some of the comments written by fantom people it appears there are many scared to death CVESD will vote in persons willing to focus on Students, Employees and fiscal responsibility – kind of like the SUHSD Board of old – little by little factual stories like this article begin to chip away – all need to understand – “what’s done in the dark comes to light”.
We have a sitting president convicted on 34 felony counts, and people are up in arms over a line on a resume? Get some perspective. Voters care about who shows up for this community, not gotcha politics over paperwork.
Concerned Voter With a Life – Good Morning – it appears ‘your life’ includes reading factual articles such as this. Ay yes, trump – hard to believe – and to think how many times was he caught lying – and,,,, ‘maga’ wanted everyone to simply overlook it.
Hilarious post. The 34 so called felonies against Trump were not violent. Moreover, every voter knew about the accusations of paperwork errors and already had plenty of information to help inform their choice for POTUS. Had anyone else been accused of the same things, the case would have never been pursued. It was done solely because the democrats thought that they could prevent him from even running by removing him from the ballot. Meanwhile, you think that an explicit, unambiguous attempt to hide information related to an election is “no big deal”. At a minimum what she did was cowardly. Instead of defending her work and explaining it, she hoped nobody would notice.
The Gaylord was promised to be generating surplus revenue by now, instead it’s $3 million short of covering its own bond payments this year, and officials are already tapping reserve funds to cover it.. Those reserves aren’t unlimited. If this shortfall becomes a pattern instead of a one-year blip, taxpayers deserve to know now, not years from now! what does that means for the city’s other priorities and services? But we are worried about a resume 😊
You’re right Tamayo. Reserves aren’t not unlimited. You know this from your spending on the school board and the $16 million dollar deficit you are trying to leave the community with to hop to another position.
Oh so because we have a felon in office I can’t also hold my local school board accountable? South County Democrats telling voters to get a life for caring about their local offices and their children is rich. Resign Will Kennedy.
Tolston is a joke. She recently changed her last name to include her maiden name to appeal to Latino activists. McLaren is a better choice.
The real scandal is that one even had to be concerned about working for the federal government to begin with. Immigration enforcement has always been extremely important and continues to be. It’s not as if she was involved in making the decisions of who to arrest. She should be able to proudly show her service to the country without fear of retaliation. Many of the people arrested and deported by ICE are valid public safety threats and deserved to be deported. The others had removal orders issued by a judge after the case was adjudicated. The fact that prominent democrats continue to protect and enable violent criminal behavior is the real scandal. Meanwhile, democrats have no problem with elevating idiotic charges related to paperwork against a presidential candidate for the sole purpose of labeling the person a felon, which spectacularly backfired.
Good Evening – as I have stated on other forums her employment should not be an issue. She has a child to support, I get it. Having said that, as the article alleges she appears to have deceived those with campaign checkbooks, the $$$’s she needs to support her campaign. Ms. Tolston then,,, after numerous references by the Community about her employment decided to ‘resign’. The comment referencing her being Labor friendly? Hmmmm, I thought she was a Representative of Parents and Taxpayers – if she and her covoters are aligned with Labor – who is there representing the Students/Parents/Taxpaying Community? The Labor Groups have representatives who champion for the Employees negotiating benefits such a pay and health/dental etc. In closing, perhaps if we left Party affiliation out of our discussions we might just find ‘the Candidate’ we are endorsing views do not align with ours.
Quitting the job and explaining the resume are two separate issues IMO. @geometry dash wave