Christy Walton, an heiress to the Walmart fortune, is stepping into the spotlight with a powerful message regarding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainees. Through a striking full-page digital ad, reportedly published in The New York Times, Walton is calling for the release of a significant portion of individuals currently in ICE custody.
The ‘Free the 70%’ Campaign
The ad, which quotes the Fourth Amendment, asserts that “more than 70% of those taken have no criminal conviction.” It urges ICE to “Free the 70% of those in custody of ICE without a criminal conviction” and to “Hold due process for those who remain.” The campaign also calls for the release of individuals who have been deported to unfamiliar countries.
Walton’s initiative also shines a light on the alleged conditions within ICE detention centers. The ad describes detainees, including “men, women, children, and babies,” being held in “windowless warehouses” and suffering from “neglect, beatings, and poor conditions.”
Stories from Inside Detention Centers
These claims are echoed by reports from families and advocates. The ad references the experience of Rodney Danis-Taylor, a green-card applicant and double amputee who spent 14 months in ICE custody at the Stewart detention center in South Georgia. His family, alongside Rep. Lucy McBath, has spoken out about the “cruel and unusual conditions” he endured, including exposure to unsanitary environments.
Taylor’s case is cited as an example of the 70% Walton encourages ICE to release, as his burglary conviction from his teenage years had been pardoned in 2010.
Walton’s History of Activism
While Walton, with a net worth of $22.9 billion, typically leads a private life in Wyoming, she has been a notable donor to anti-Trump political causes. She previously hosted a fundraiser for Kamala Harris in 2024 and has used paid advertisements to voice her opposition to Trump administration policies, including a 2025 “No Kings” demonstration ad aimed at defending against “aggression by dictators.”
Despite Walton’s spokesperson stating she does not condone violence, Walmart has publicly distanced itself from her activism, issuing a statement that “condemn[s] violence, including when it’s directed towards law enforcement, and the damaging of property.”
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