P'Nut Squirrel Owner's Wife Detained by ICE for Nearly a Month, Husband Says

Daniela Bittner, the wife of P'Nut squirrel owner Mark Longo, has spent nearly a month in federal immigration detention after being arrested by ICE at a small airport in upstate New York, her husband says. Bittner, 30, a German native, was taken into custody on October 15 or 16, 2026, at Elmira Corning Regional Airport as the couple travelled to a TikTok event, and she has since been moved between detention centres in Syracuse, Buffalo, Louisiana and Texas. Longo says the detention stems from a minor paperwork error on her immigration forms, made while they dealt with the seizure and euthanasia of P'Nut, the viral pet squirrel taken by New York wildlife officials in October 2024.

The Department of Homeland Security gives a different account: Bittner entered the United States lawfully several times between May 2021 and November 2022 for temporary stays, then stayed on after they expired. The dispute has left her facing administrative deportation to Germany, removal without a hearing before an immigration judge, according to Longo.

Key Points

• Daniela Bittner, 30, a German native and wife of P'Nut squirrel owner Mark Longo, was arrested by ICE on October 15 or 16, 2026, at Elmira Corning Regional Airport.
• She has been held in federal custody for nearly a month, moved between centres in Syracuse, Buffalo, Louisiana and now Texas.
• Longo says she entered legally on a visa, has no criminal history, and the detention stems from a minor paperwork error made during P'Nut's seizure and euthanasia.
• The Department of Homeland Security says she entered lawfully several times between May 2021 and November 2022 for temporary stays, then "chose to overstay her welcome in defiance of our nation's laws".
• Bittner faces administrative deportation to Germany without an immigration court hearing, Longo says, and their sanctuary, home to 600 rescued animals, could close if she is deported.

What Happened

Bittner was arrested at Elmira Corning Regional Airport in mid-October as she and Longo headed to a TikTok event, according to reports from November 11 and 12. The date is given as October 15 or 16, and she has been in custody ever since.

She has been moved repeatedly: after her arrest she was held in Syracuse and then Buffalo, before being transferred to Louisiana and then to Texas, where she is now held, Longo said. He has called the conditions inside "deplorable".

Longo says his wife entered legally on a visa and has no criminal history. In his account, the problem is a minor error on her immigration paperwork, made while the couple were consumed by P'Nut's seizure and euthanasia. He has not said publicly what the error was, only that it was small.

Background and Context

P'Nut became a national story in October 2024, when New York wildlife officials seized the squirrel from the couple's home and euthanised it, saying it had bitten an officer and keeping a wild squirrel as a pet breached state rules. The killing provoked anger online and became a political talking point: Vice President JD Vance used P'Nut's death in 2024 to attack government overreach, a point Reason noted in its coverage of Bittner's detention.

The couple married in 2022, shortly after Bittner returned to Germany over a visa situation. They run P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary, home to 600 rescued animals, including 100 horses. Longo says the sanctuary could close if his wife is deported, because she is central to running it.

The detention comes during the Trump administration's immigration enforcement drive, which has already produced a record 483,200 deportations in fiscal year 2026 and the detention of an eight-year-old Haitian boy after a check-in in San Diego.

P'Nut Squirrel Owner ICE Detention: The Paperwork Dispute

At the heart of the case is a disagreement about Bittner's status. Longo's version is that his wife entered legally, did nothing wrong beyond a paperwork mistake, and has no criminal record. The department's version is that she entered lawfully several times for temporary stays in 2021-2022, then "chose to overstay her welcome in defiance of our nation's laws".

What is not in dispute is the procedure now facing her: Longo says Bittner faces administrative deportation, meaning she could be removed to Germany without a hearing in immigration court, a process that gives detainees far fewer chances to argue their case. It is one reason her husband has gone public: he says the family had no warning a paperwork error could end in removal without a judge ever hearing her side.

Reactions and Quotes

Longo has been the most vocal voice in the case, speaking to the New York Post and NewsNation on November 11 and to other outlets, including AP, Fox News, WAMC and Reason, the following day. He described the detention conditions as "deplorable" and said the sanctuary the couple built around P'Nut's memory could close if his wife is sent back to Germany.

The department has not detailed the paperwork error itself, but its statement sets out the government's position plainly: Bittner entered lawfully for temporary stays and then, in its words, "chose to overstay her welcome in defiance of our nation's laws".

Why It Matters

Bittner's detention matters for three reasons. First, it shows how far the enforcement drive reaches: a woman with no criminal history, married to an American, detained at a domestic airport over paperwork. Second, it carries a political sting: the P'Nut case was once used by the administration's own vice president to denounce heavy-handed government action. Third, it has a concrete human cost: a sanctuary caring for 600 rescued animals may close, and a family faces separation across an ocean.

What Happens Next

For now, Bittner remains in custody in Texas, and her husband says she faces administrative deportation to Germany without an immigration court hearing. Whether that removal goes ahead, and how quickly, will depend on the department's process and on any legal challenge her lawyers may bring. No court date has been reported.

Longo says the sanctuary's future hangs on the outcome: if Bittner is deported, it could close, leaving about 600 rescued animals, including 100 horses, without a home.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Daniela Bittner?
Daniela Bittner is a 30-year-old German native and the wife of Mark Longo, co-owner of P'Nut, the viral pet squirrel seized and euthanised by New York wildlife officials in October 2024. The couple run the P'Nuts Freedom Farm Animal Sanctuary.

Why was Daniela Bittner detained by ICE?
She was arrested on October 15 or 16, 2026, at Elmira Corning Regional Airport. Her husband blames a minor paperwork error; the department says she entered lawfully for temporary stays between May 2021 and November 2022 and then overstayed.

Where is Daniela Bittner being held?
She has been moved between centres in Syracuse, Buffalo, Louisiana and Texas, where she is now held, her husband says. She has been in custody for nearly a month.

What is administrative deportation?
Administrative deportation is removal without a hearing before an immigration judge, according to Longo, giving a detainee far fewer chances to argue their case.

What will happen to P'Nuts Freedom Farm?
It is home to about 600 rescued animals, including 100 horses. Longo says it could close if his wife is deported.