ICE Holds Former Owner of Peanut the Squirrel
On November 11, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security said Daniela Bittner, a 30-year-old German national and former owner of Peanut the Squirrel, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at Elmira Corning Regional Airport on October 15. She remains in federal custody pending removal proceedings and could be deported to Germany.
DHS said Bittner entered the United States legally several times between May 2021 and November 2022, with permission to stay temporarily, but remained after that period ended. A department spokesperson said an application awaiting a decision does not give someone legal status. The department said Bittner would receive due process.
Bittner’s husband, Mark Longo, said she had been held in what he called “deplorable conditions” at multiple detention centers since her arrest. He described the immigration paperwork issue as minor. DHS did not provide information about where she is being held.
Bittner and Longo became widely known after New York officials seized and euthanized Peanut and a raccoon named Fred in 2025. State officials said keeping squirrels and raccoons as household animals in New York is illegal. They said the animals were put down for rabies testing after a biologist reported that Peanut bit her through her gloves.
ICE Detention of Peanut’s Former Owner Raises Due-Process Concerns
On November 11, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security said Daniela Bittner, a 30-year-old German national and former owner of Peanut the Squirrel, remains in federal custody after ICE arrested her at Elmira Corning Regional Airport on October 15. Her case is pending removal proceedings.
DHS says Bittner entered the country legally several times between May 2021 and November 2022, then stayed beyond the temporary periods she was granted. The department says an application awaiting a decision does not establish lawful status and says she will receive due process. Those assurances matter as she remains detained, with her husband describing the conditions as “deplorable.”
Mark Longo characterized the paperwork issue as minor. DHS has not said where Bittner is being held. Her case puts the consequences of immigration enforcement in sharp focus: the government says she violated the terms of her stay, while her continued detention and Longo’s account underscore what is at stake for an individual awaiting proceedings.
Bittner and Longo came to public attention after New York officials seized Peanut and a raccoon named Fred in 2025 and euthanized them for rabies testing. State officials said keeping the animals as pets was illegal.
DHS Says Former Peanut Owner Overstayed Her Legal Visit
On November 11, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security said Daniela Bittner, a German national and former owner of Peanut the Squirrel, was arrested by ICE at Elmira Corning Regional Airport on October 15. She remains in custody pending removal proceedings.
DHS says Bittner entered the United States legally multiple times between May 2021 and November 2022, but overstayed the temporary periods she was allowed to remain. A spokesperson said an application awaiting a decision does not grant legal status and that Bittner will receive due process. The department’s account frames the arrest as enforcement of immigration rules, not a question of whether her initial entries were lawful.
Her husband, Mark Longo, called the paperwork issue minor and said she had been held in “deplorable conditions” at detention centers. DHS has not disclosed where she is being held. Those claims do not change the department’s stated basis for the arrest: an overstay after authorized visits.
Bittner and Longo became known nationally after New York officials seized Peanut and a raccoon named Fred in 2025. State officials said the animals could not legally be kept as pets and were euthanized for rabies testing after a biologist reported a bite.
Reported by New York Post, The Washington Examiner.
