In a dramatic turn of events, Daniela Bittner, the wife of the former owner of Peanut the viral pet squirrel, has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Bittner, a German native, was apprehended with her husband, Mark Longo, at a small airport near the New York-Pennsylvania border as they were reportedly heading to a TikTok event. Longo claims his wife’s detention is due to a minor, unintentional paperwork error on an immigration form, a mistake they overlooked while dealing with the traumatic seizure and euthanasia of their beloved squirrel, Peanut, by New York wildlife officials in 2024. Longo expressed frustration, stating that the government is treating a simple filing mistake as a deliberate attempt to enter the country illegally, despite Bittner having a history of legal entry on visas. While the Department of Homeland Security asserts Bittner overstayed her welcome, Longo maintains they never received a denial letter for their paperwork and that his wife, who has no criminal history, faces potential deportation without a hearing. Bittner has been transferred through multiple detention centers, with Longo describing her conditions as “deplorable.” This immigration ordeal casts a shadow over their nonprofit animal rescue, which houses 600 rescued animals, and threatens its very existence should Bittner be deported. Longo lamented the devastating impact this would have, forcing the closure of their sanctuary and the rehoming of hundreds of animals, just as they were trying to move past the grief of losing Peanut.
Adapted from: U.S. News Today on Fox News
