RHONJ star Teresa Giudice's husband Joe Giudice responds to deportation claims amid serving time for fraud
'Real Housewives of New Jersey' star Teresa Giudice's husband, Joe Giudice has denied rumors that he is being deported before his 2019 sentence. Teresa's co-star and the former RHONJ is serving time for mail and wire and bankruptcy fraud presently. His sentence is 41 months long and began in March 2016.
His attorney, James J. Leonard Jr., clarified the rumors to People. "I can state with absolute certainty that no decision has been made regarding the immigration status of Joe Giudice. The same immigration detainer that was lodged against him in March of 2016 remains in place today, but I want to be absolutely clear about this, no judicial authority has made any decision regarding what will happen with that detainer.
"Mr. Giudice has immigration counsel who are and have been working aggressively on his behalf so that he can return home to his wife and four young daughters and we remain optimistic that that is how this will end," he said.
Earlier, an ICE spokesperson had said they had started the deportation process. According to Radar Online's report, they were "in deportation proceedings while he’s in custody. ICE has lodged a detainer, and he is in removal proceedings," the ICE spokesperson had said. He had added, "If he is ordered deported while in custody, he will be removed from the U.S.," the spokesperson continued.
“I mean, Italy’s a beautiful place to live. I wouldn’t mind, you know, I’m just saying. Listen, whatever God has planned for me, that’s what’s going to happen. I will embrace it the best I can,” Teresa had reportedly said on Andy Cohen's show. The reality couple has four kids together Gia, 17, Gabriella, 14, Milania, 12, and Audriana, 9.
Teresa also served time for the same charges as her husband and came out of prison just a couple of months ago. She was found to be guilty on counts of fraud and was sent to prison like her husband. Unlike him, her sentence was a matter of 15 months in jail and she went to prison in 2014. At the time she told show host Andy Cohen that she had to make it for the family. "I can’t fall apart. I have my daughters. They mean the world to me." The reality star had appeared on the show along with her husband.
“You go through things in life. I don't know why, I'm asking, 'Why is this happening to me?'" she had said extremely emotional, "Maybe something my daughters can learn from this is: My mom was really strong through all this. She was there for us. I hope they always have that with them."
RHONJ has aired 8 seasons so far. Teresa's prison sentence also inspired a spin-off called 'Teresa Checks In'. It was a three-part television special that chronicled the life of the Giudice family and how its members dealt with the aftermath of Teresa being sentenced to prison.