‘RHONJ’ Star Dolores Catania Hopes Teresa Giudice Stays With Husband Joe After Deportation

Teresa Guidice has her co-stars’ support amid husband Joe Giudice’s immigration troubles.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dolores Catania revealed her hopes that her co-star and her husband can stay together despite the possibility he might be deported back to Italy after his prison sentence.

Catania made an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on February 6 and gave her opinion on the subject after a fan called in and asked, “Do you think Teresa and Joe will stay together?”

“I hope so,” she answered, adding that she doesn’t think much will be different about Joe when he gets out of jail.

“I’m sure he’s changed in a lot of ways, but… you are who you are,” she said. “He’s an old-school Italian guy. People don’t change. I am who I am, he is who he is… in a good way.”

Catania’s comments came a few days after Teresa announced during the Season 9 reunion special taping for the Bravo series that if Joe is deported to Italy, the couple would “go our separate ways.”

Teresa’s announcement felt like a change of mind after she had kept an optimistic outlook on the situation for many months. She recently said at a previous reunion special that she would think about moving to Italy.

“I mean, Italy’s a beautiful place to live,” she said at the time. “I wouldn’t mind, you know, I’m just saying. Listen, whatever God had planned for me, that’s what’s going to happen. I will embrace it the best I can.”

However, after discussing the possibility with her daughters — Gia, 18, Gabriella,14, Milania, 12, and Audriana, 9 — the family decided to stay in the United States without him.

Joe is serving a 41-month prison sentence for mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud, which he started saving in March 2016. Teresa also served over 11 months in prison for the same crimes and was released on Dec. 23, 2015.

An immigration judge ruled in October to deport Joe to Italy after his prison sentence. Despite his attempt to appeal the ruling, he still faces deportation.

“They are obviously optimistic that he is coming home,” the insider said. “Teresa’s hope is that they can remain together as a family.”

A week after Catania’s comments, co-star and Teresa’s sister-in-law Melissa Gorga commented on whether she thought Teresa would follow Joe to Europe.

“I don’t think so. But I guess we’ll have to see,” Gorga told Us Weekly earlier this week.

She added: “Nobody knows anything yet. Everyone’s waiting for the final answer. We’re just sitting back and praying.”

The Real Housewives of New Jersey Season 9 reunion episodes are set to air later in February on Bravo.