Immigration Detention of New York Woman Tied to Paperwork Error

The wife of a New York man, whose pet squirrel named Peanut gained viral fame, has been detained by immigration authorities. Daniela Bittner, originally from Germany, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a small airport near the New York-Pennsylvania border in mid-October, according to The Associated Press (AP).

Bittner and her husband, Mark Longo, had been planning to attend an event when authorities detained her. Longo and Bittner married in 2022 after a period in which she returned to Germany to handle visa issues. He stated that the detention resulted from a minor error on one of her immigration forms, which went unnoticed as they dealt with other issues, including the confiscation and euthanasia of their pet squirrel, Peanut.

“She entered this country legally with a visa. We submitted the necessary paperwork, but apparently, the government claims we used the wrong forms,” Longo told the New York Post. “They requested more information, which we gave, but they then apparently sent a denial letter due to incorrect paperwork, which we never saw.”

This paperwork issue could lead to deportation without a hearing. Bittner, without a criminal record, faces significant penalties. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicated she habitually overstayed the terms of her entry into the U.S., having entered multiple times between May 2021 and November 2022.

Longo criticized the treatment Bittner received in custody, labeling the conditions as “deplorable.” She has been moved across several detention facilities, from Syracuse to Buffalo, and from Louisiana to Texas.

The couple manages a nonprofit animal sanctuary, which could face closure if Bittner were deported. The sanctuary cares for 600 animals rescued from neglect.

“If my wife is deported over this paperwork error, we lose everything. Our animal sanctuary will close, and 600 animals will face uncertainty. We only wanted peace but moved from the tragedy of Peanut to this,” Longo said.

The issue surrounding Peanut became prominent when New York wildlife officials seized and euthanized the pet in 2024, igniting a national controversy. Peanut was rescued by Longo when he was five weeks old after his mother was killed by a car, and the squirrel amassed a significant online following.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.