P'nut the Squirrel Owner's Wife Overstayed U.S. Stay, DHS Denies ICE Mistreatment Claims
P'nut the Squirrel's Owner DHS Fires Back Over Wife's ICE Detention ... Says She Overstayed Visa
Published
The Department of Homeland Security is firing back at Mark Longo, the former owner of P'Nut the Squirrel, after he claimed his wife was being held in terrible conditions by ICE ... telling TMZ she overstayed her authorized stay in the United States.
A DHS spokesperson tells TMZ ... Daniela Bittner was arrested October 15 at Elmira Corning Regional Airport in New York and will remain in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
DHS says Bittner, a German national, legally entered the United States multiple times between May 2021 and November 2022, but overstayed the period she was permitted to remain in the country.
The agency adds that having a pending immigration application does not automatically grant someone legal status in the U.S.
As we reported ... Longo told TMZ his wife has been detained for nearly a month over what he describes as paperwork issues, claiming she's been subjected to terrible living conditions and denied replacement contact lenses.
DHS disputes those allegations, telling us, "Any allegations of subprime conditions are FALSE."
The agency maintains detainees receive proper meals, quality water, blankets, medical treatment, and opportunities to communicate with family members and attorneys.
Longo previously told us he's desperate for help and fears his wife's deportation could force him to shut down P'Nut's Freedom Farm, the nonprofit animal rescue the couple operates together.
