ICE Detains Wife of Man Involved in Viral Squirrel Case

Daniela Bittner, wife of Mark Longo from New York, has been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This follows the viral event in 2024 where their pet squirrel, Peanut, was seized and euthanized by wildlife officials.

Bittner, a native of Germany, was arrested in mid-October at an airport near the New York-Pennsylvania border, as reported by The Associated Press (AP). The arrest occurred while she and her husband were heading to a TikTok event, according to the New York Post.

Paperwork Error

Mark Longo explains that her detention resulted from a minor paperwork error. They mistakenly filled out an immigration form incorrectly while managing the situation with Peanut. This misstep complicates their lives further after the seizure of the squirrel.

“She came into this country legally on a visa. We filed the paperwork and stuff and apparently the government is saying we filed the wrong piece of paper,” Longo told The Post.

Possible Deportation

Longo stated that Bittner faces possible deportation without a hearing. She has no criminal record, yet she is subjected to the maximum penalty. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims she overstayed her visa.

Description of Bittner’s custody conditions has raised concerns. Longo decried them as “deplorable.” She has been transferred between multiple detention centers, including those in Syracuse, Buffalo, Louisiana, and Texas.

Impact on Animal Sanctuary

The couple runs a nonprofit animal rescue operation. Bittner’s potential deportation could force its closure, affecting 600 animals currently in their care. “If my wife gets deported for a paperwork issue, we will lose EVERYTHING we worked for,” stated Longo.

The couple’s animal sanctuary is under threat, and their efforts to move past Peanut’s death have been interrupted by new legal challenges.

In 2024, New York wildlife officials’ seizure of Peanut, followed by his euthanasia, ignited widespread public anger. Longo had saved Peanut at five weeks old after a car killed the squirrel’s mother, turning Peanut into a social media sensation.