The wife of Mark Longo, whose pet squirrel Peanut was seized and euthanized by New York wildlife officials in 2024, has been detained by U.S. immigration authorities.
Daniela Bittner, who is from Germany, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in mid-October at a small airport near the New York-Pennsylvania border, according to reports. She and Longo were on their way to a TikTok event when officers approached them.
Longo said the detention arose from a paperwork mistake on one of Bittner’s immigration forms. He told reporters that the couple submitted additional information after the government requested it, but never received a letter saying her application had been denied.
“She came into this country legally on a visa,” Longo said, adding that officials appear to believe the wrong paperwork was filed. He described the issue as minor and said it was being treated as though his wife had entered the country unlawfully.
Longo said Bittner has no criminal record and could face deportation without a hearing. The couple reportedly married in 2022, after Bittner returned to Germany to address a visa matter.
The Department of Homeland Security said Bittner entered the United States legally several times between May 2021 and November 2022, each time with permission to remain temporarily. The agency said she was arrested for overstaying that permission, adding that a pending application does not grant legal status in the country.
Bittner has reportedly been moved among detention facilities in Syracuse, Buffalo, Louisiana and Texas. Longo described the conditions she has encountered in custody as “deplorable.”
Her detention has also put the couple’s nonprofit animal sanctuary in jeopardy. Bittner reportedly cares for about 600 animals rescued from neglect. Longo said the sanctuary could close if she is deported, leaving the animals in need of new homes.
“All we wanted was to be left alone,” he said, adding that the couple had begun to move forward after Peanut’s death and now faced another crisis.
In 2024, wildlife officials seized Peanut from the couple and euthanized the squirrel, prompting widespread public anger. Longo had rescued Peanut at about five weeks old after the animal’s mother was reportedly killed by a car. Peanut later gained a large following on social media.
