Billionaire Christy Walton Calls for ICE to Release Most Detainees

An ad under Walton's name ran in Sunday's print edition of the New York Times.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 8:22pm

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Walmart heiress Christy Walton appears to have taken out a full-page ad in Sunday's New York Times calling for the release of the reported 70% of people in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody being held without a criminal record.

Why it matters

Walton, a known anti-Trump political donor, is using her wealth and platform to publicly oppose the Trump administration's immigration policies, particularly the detention of individuals without criminal convictions.

The details

The ad begins with a reprinting of the text of the Fourth Amendment and cites a Cato Institute study finding that 73% of people in ICE custody since October 2025 had no previous criminal conviction. The ad calls on the government to 'free the 70% of those in custody of ICE without a criminal conviction' and 'hold due process on those who remain.'

  • The ad ran in Sunday's issue of the New York Times.
  • The ad also appears to have run in several smaller papers over the weekend.

The players

Christy Walton

Walmart heiress and one of the wealthiest people in the world, with an estimated net worth of $22.9 billion.

Cato Institute

A libertarian think tank that published a study cited in the ad.

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What they’re saying

“free the 70% of those in custody of ICE without a criminal conviction”

— Christy Walton

“hold due process on those who remain”

— Christy Walton

The takeaway

Christy Walton, a prominent Walmart heiress and political donor, is using her wealth and platform to publicly challenge the Trump administration's immigration policies, particularly the detention of individuals without criminal convictions, further highlighting the growing divide over these issues.