Gia Giudice seeks Trump's help for deported father after Chrisley pardon

Gia Giudice and her mother Teresa Giudice say they are willing to go to great lengths to bring Joe Giudice home. In an interview with Fox News Digital, the pair discussed Joe Giudice’s deportation to Italy in October 2019 after he served 41 months in federal prison on fraud charges. They noted that Joe moved to the United States as a baby but never became a naturalized citizen and remained a green-card holder, a status that ultimately led to his removal after his conviction and prison term.

Following President Trump’s decision to pardon Todd and Julie Chrisley and their subsequent release from prison, Gia said the Chrisley family’s reunion offered their own family renewed hope. She described using social media to advocate for Joe’s case, saying the situation gave the family a renewed push to seek his return. Teresa said she remains hopeful that Joe can come back to America, noting that he has lived in the United States since childhood and that deportation, in her view, hinged on paperwork rather than character.

The Chrisley pardon has become a focal point for the Giudices as they pursue potential avenues to reunite the family. Gia said she had not received any direct communication from the White House about Joe’s case, and Teresa said she was proud of her daughter for taking action even as the process remains unresolved.

Joe Giudice was released from federal prison in March 2019 and subsequently held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody while his deportation was processed. He ultimately was deported to Italy in October 2019. Both Joe and Teresa were convicted of bankruptcy fraud, mail fraud, and failing to file tax returns, and Joe’s deportation followed his prison sentence. The family has said the issue is deeply personal and tied to the broader question of how presidential clemency and immigration law intersect in individual cases.

Amid these family efforts, Gia and Teresa are also pursuing a high-profile television project. They appear together on the upcoming season of Fox’s Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, which premieres on September 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The experience has been described by Gia as the hardest thing she has ever done, yet it also served to strengthen their bond as mother and daughter. The show’s challenging demands included grueling workouts and endurance tests as the pair pushed through extreme conditions, a contrast to the political and legal challenges they face off-camera.

During filming, the Giudices endured hardships that included austere conditions and demanding physical challenges. Gia recalled a particularly grueling hike with 30-pound Bergens on their backs, describing the moment they reached a summit only to be faced with another challenge. She said the experience nonetheless brought them closer and yielded new skills and confidence for both.

The Giudices’ public push for Joe’s return comes as immigration policy and presidential clemency remain hotly debated topics in U.S. politics. While Joe Giudice’s case is distinct—centered on his status as a longtime resident who did not obtain U.S. citizenship—the broader framework governing deportations and pardons continues to be a point of contention among policymakers and the public. Advocates in immigration circles have argued that cases like Giudice’s highlight the complexities of enforcement and the potential for clemency to affect families in meaningful ways. Lawmakers have varied in their approaches to reforming immigration rules, with clemency powers remaining a constitutional prerogative of the presidency.

As the Chrisley pardon story shows, presidential actions on clemency can reverberate beyond individual cases, shaping public narratives and inspiring other families to seek relief through official channels. For the Giudices, the hope persists that Joe could return to the United States, where he lived for much of his life before the deportation decision. Teresa emphasized that while the situation is complicated, the family remains committed to pursuing every avenue available to reunite them. Gia added that any daughter or family member would understand the urgency of wanting a loved one home.

The family’s appearance on a competitive reality series and their ongoing public discussion of Joe Giudice’s status underscore how entertainment media and political issues can intertwine in contemporary American life. The interplay between celebrity influence, policy decisions, and personal petitions illustrates how individual cases can become touchpoints for broader debates about citizenship, immigration, and the reach of presidential clemency.

Images from the Giudice family’s recent public moments provide context for their journey.

As the season of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test approaches its premiere and the Chrisley pardon remains a recent, high-profile milestone, the Giudices continue to navigate both a personal legal odyssey and a public conversation about how immigration policy intersects with presidential powers. The family has made clear that their ultimate goal is straightforward: to have Joe Giudice back home in America with his loved ones, where they say he belongs.

The Giudices’ experiences—late-night calls for clemency, public appeals, and a high-stakes television project—highlight the ongoing tensions in U.S. politics surrounding immigration, citizenship, and the discretionary authority vested in the presidency. Whether their efforts will yield a favorable outcome for Joe Giudice remains uncertain, but they have signaled a willingness to pursue every legitimate channel available to support reunification.

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test