Teresa Giudice Attends Rutgers Football Game with Daughter Gia Amid Husband Joe's Deportation Fight
Teresa Giudice enjoyed some bonding time with her eldest daughter Gia as Joe Giudice continues to fight his deportation order.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey star attended a football game at Rutgers University on Saturday, joined by Gia, 18, who is currently a freshman at the school.
Teresa, 47, documented the day on her Instagram Stories, including a video of Gia smiling in the stands beside a police officer. The mother-daughter pair then posed together for a sweet picture, with Teresa sporting a “Rutgers Mom” T-shirt.
Teresa and Joe are also parents to Gabriella, 15, Milania, 14, and Audriana, 10.
RELATED: Teresa Giudice Shares Birthday Tribute to Daughter Gabriella Amid Husband Joe’s Deportation Fight
Just one day before Teresa and Gia’s football outing, PEOPLE confirmed that Joe’s request to be released from ICE custody and move to Italy has been granted. He will continue to appeal his deportation order in Italy.
The father of four’s deportation drama has been going on for months, and he has been held in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Clinton County Correctional Center in Pennsylvania since he was released from prison last March (he was serving a 41-month sentence for mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud).
Joe was granted permission to move back to his native Italy while he continues to appeal his deportation order, which was ruled by an immigration court last October. Joe’s original request to return home to Teresa and their daughters was denied, but he has a court date scheduled for November.
A source previously told PEOPLE that “not being able to see his family, and knowing that he won’t be able to be back home with them, has really broken him.”
RELATED: Joe Giudice Has Lost ‘Hope’ He’ll Return Home to His Family Amid Deportation Case, Says Source
While the entire situation has been tough on Joe and his family back home, a source close to the family told PEOPLE in September that Gia has “been a rock for her family during these tough times.”
“She’s very mature for her age,” the source said, saying that the other three girls “really look up to her.”
“With the whole Joe situation, she stays strong for them, while still fighting for her dad,” the source said. “Even now that she’s away for college, the girls are all still very close. She’s set a great example for them. She’s the real star.”
And while Teresa has said that she does not want to do a long-distance relationship, she has praised her daughters’ strength for helping her get through it.
“I am doing good. My daughters are doing well. We’re hanging in there,” she said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight last month. Referring to her daughters specifically, she added, “They are doing good, thank god.”
“They are pretty amazing, strong, young women. I guess they get it from their mommy,” she said. “It’s a tough time right now, so just being with my daughters [helps].”
