Owner of Peanut the Squirrel Daniela Bittner Detained by ICE

Daniela Bittner, one of the owners of the late social media star Peanut the squirrel, was arrested by immigration officers in mid-October at a small airport near New York’s border with Pennsylvania and is now held in Texas pending possible deportation to Germany.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying Bittner was arrested because she “chose to overstay her welcome in defiance of our nation’s laws.” Her husband, Mark Longo, called conditions in the lockups “deplorable” and blamed the detention on an immigration paperwork mix-up.”

“They put Peanut on a pedestal, won their election, and threw him off that pedestal immediately,” Longo said.

Owner of Peanut the Squirrel Daniela Bittner Detained by ICE — Photo: abcnews.com

The Fallout From Peanut’s Seizure

The arrest is the latest twist in the tale of Peanut, also known as P’nut, a once-orphaned squirrel. Two years ago, state officials got multiple complaints that the couple were illegally keeping wild animals in their house as pets, including the squirrel and a racoon.

During one inspection, Peanut bit the gloved thumb of a wildlife biologist and was euthanized so the squirrel could be tested for rabies, sparking widespread public sympathy and political backlash.

Republicans on the 2024 campaign trail seized on the incident as an example of government overreach. JD Vance criticized the state’s actions at a rally just before the election.

P'Nut the squirrel's former owner says his wife has been detained by ICE — CBS New York

“The same government that doesn’t care about hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant criminals coming into our country doesn’t want us to have pets. It’s the craziest, the craziest thing,” Vance said.

Struggles of the Animal Sanctuary

Longo said he and Bittner made a mistake on one of her immigration forms and didn’t catch the error while they were dealing with the dustup over Peanut’s seizure and killing. He said that local officials have been looking into his wife’s case.

Longo also mentioned that he spoke about the arrest to UFC chief Dana White, a longstanding ally of President Donald Trump whom Longo said he met after Peanut was taken. Longo said he will have to shut down the animal sanctuary he and his wife run if she is deported.

“The only outcome that will save this place is my wife not being deported,” Longo said.

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