Former owner of Peanut the squirrel detained by ICE, may face deportation

Daniela Bittner, the former owner of Peanut the squirrel, was detained by immigration officers in mid-October at a small airport near New York’s border with Pennsylvania, according to mainlinemedianews.com.

The Department of Homeland Security stated Bittner was arrested for overstaying her visa, described as "choosing to overstay her welcome in defiance of our nation's laws."

Since her arrest, Bittner has been moved through several immigration detention centers and is currently held in Texas. Her husband, Mark Longo, described the detention conditions as "deplorable" and attributed the situation to an immigration paperwork mix-up.

Peanut, also known as P’nut, was a once-orphaned squirrel who became a social media star due to his antics. The couple faced complaints for illegally keeping wild animals as pets, including Peanut and a raccoon.

During a state inspection, Peanut bit a wildlife biologist and was euthanized for rabies testing, which sparked political criticism and media attention. Republicans used the incident to criticize government overreach and New York’s Democratic governor, Kathy Hochul.

Longo expressed frustration with government involvement but tries to avoid politics, reflecting ongoing tensions around the case and immigration enforcement.