Gia Giudice faces backlash as she seeks presidential pardon for her father Joe
In 2014, Gia's parents Joe and Teresa Giudice were sentenced to prison after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and three types of bankruptcy fraud. While Teresa was released after serving 11 months behind bars, Joe - an Italian citizen who was brought to the U.S. as a one-year-old - was deported back to his home country in 2019 following his release from prison.
He now lives in the Bahamas and has been asking Trump for a second chance so he can reunite with his daughters.
Inspired by the pardon Todd and Julie Chrisley were recently granted, Gia, 24, is hopeful Trump will offer her father the same lenience.
On July 4th, Gia shared video of her writing and mailing character letters to Trump, hopeful it would lead to a pardon.
But Gia quickly faced backlash for her request, with followers calling her efforts amid recent ICE raids 'tone deaf' and another dubbing it 'privilege at it's finest.'
'Hi guys, my name is Gia Giudice. I'm the daughter of Joe Giudice and today I'm using my voice for something deeply personal,' she began in the video.
'My dad was deported over four years ago. Since then, our family has lived in an emotional limbo. No matter how strong we try to be, the absence of a father, of a parent, it's something that never stops hurting.
'Growing up, my dad was present at every cheer competition, every dance recital, holiday. He was our provider, our protector, and he still is, just now from thousands of miles away.
'Watching the Chrisley family receive a second chance inspired me. It showed me that people can be forgiven, that families can be restored and that sometimes the justice system has room for grace.
'That gave me hope. Hope that maybe my dad could come home too. A pardon would mean more than just legal forgiveness. It would mean healing for my sisters, for my mom, for my family, and for me. We've missed birthdays, graduations, even the small moments that matter the most.
'This isn't just about one man. It's about a family who deserves to be whole again. I'm using my platform to speak not just as a public figure, but as a daughter who deeply misses her dad. We are not asking for sympathy, we're asking for a second chance. So, let's bring Joe home together.
'President Donald J. Trump, I really hope you receive these character letters about my dad Joe Giudice.'
Gia's post sparked mixed and heated response from followers.
'This is rather tone deaf considering your father committed a white collar crime and got deported but people are getting deported and sent God Knows Where without even having criminal records. Your fans want you to use your influence to help the less fortunate and I don't blame anyone for not having sympathy for your father who is dealing with consequences based off of choices he MADE,' one wrote.
'Are you currently aware of whats going on with immigration at the moment in this country? Smh,' another asked.
'Wasn't he in the US for years and didn't pursue citizenship?!? With everything going on, your family is asking for a pardon!?! Y'all are beyond tone deaf…This is utterly ridiculous…' another wrote.
'Gia. Your dad had YEARS to become a citizen and didn't. He broke laws and this is his consequence. Why is he any different from anyone else who was deported for criminal behavior? Because he has daughters? Because he had money? The laws apply to everyone. I know you miss him & want him here-I get it. But hes only a flight away-and at least you can afford to visit. Regardless-if he gets an exception then why shouldn't everyone else? Maybe work on changing the laws for everyone instead of your dad getting special treatment.'
'mind u, this is an ACTUAL convicted felon. but go off,' another said.
'Next you can write various letters on behalf of all the families being ripped apart across the United States. Individuals that have not committed any crimes but are still being deported with no judicial process or judicial review. Your video is incredibly insensitive considering everything that is going on. Please do better,' one wrote.
'Wait.. she posted this on july 4th? The entitlement is absurd,' another pointed out.
'Privilege at its finest.........what advice would you give all the other young people who are having their families torn apart for far less reasons? Im curious,' one posted.
Another called Gia a 'mini' Savannah Chrisley, the woman who lobbied for her parents Todd and Julie to receive a pardon after they were found guilty in 2022 of defrauding banks out of $30 million.
'Okay mini Savannah Chrisley. Chill out,' they wrote.
The comments section did contain several supporters, including Gia's mother (and Joe's ex-wife) Teresa Giudice. She posted a string of red heart emojis.
One said: 'Get out of her comments with the negativity it's her Father for goodness sake.'
Teresa and Joe were married from 1999 to 2020 and share four daughters together Gia, Gabriella, 20, Milania, 19, and Audriana, 15. She is now married to Luis Ruelas.
Joe has been pleading his case to the president on Instagram as of late.
'I'm Joe Giudice. I served my time, and I've been deported from the U.S. for nearly a decade,' he recently wrote on the platform.
'I was raised in Jersey, I'm a father of four amazing daughters, and I just want to be allowed to visit them again.'
'President Trump, I respect you and I'm asking for a second chance.'
Giudice's former Real Housewives colleague Siggy Flicker, who Trump appointed to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council earlier this year, commented that she's working on it.
Flicker wrote: 'I'm trying. Joe should be back home with his beautiful daughters!!!!!!'
Giudice's criminal conviction and subsequent deportation also ended his marriage – with ex-wife Teresa also sentenced to 11 months inside.
At the time of their conviction, the Justice Department released a statement that made an example of the former couple and highlighted the risks of 'cheating the government' by failing to pay taxes.
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said: 'The Giudices together deceived financial institutions with patently false loan applications; were dishonest when they sought the protection of the bankruptcy court and hid assets and income from the trustee; and Giuseppe [Joe] Giudice cheated the government by failing to pay taxes on years of significant income.
'When they pleaded guilty, both admitted swearing to statements they knew were lies. Prison is the appropriate penalty for these serious financial crimes.'
Giudice said in 2023 that he still doesn't believe he did much wrong – and slammed the US for dumping him 'like a dog' in Italy.
He said: 'I got thrown into a country that I knew nothing about. All right, basically, just dumped there like, like, like, I don't know, like, I guess a dog, you know what I mean. Not even a dog gets dumped like that.
'And, you know, thank God, Italy took me in and, and basically took care of me. You know, they actually treated me like a person, not like the US.
'The US treats you like garbage. I mean, they treat their own citizens like garbage. You know what? I mean, it's ridiculous the way they treat people there when you get involved in, you know, certain things like this.'
An audibly angry Giudice also complained he would never have been charged with fraud in the Bahamas or Italy – and claimed murderers get treated better than fraudsters in the US.
The dad-of-three continued: 'I mean, my charges don't even exist here. You know, tax things don't exist in The Bahamas.
'Tax things don't exist in, in Italy. You know what I mean, you know, you, you just don't go to jail for that stuff. You know what I mean, you get a fine, you get whatever.
'But, I mean, you don't go to jail. You don't break your you know, they don't break families up in, you know, like they do over there.
'I mean, they throw people behind bars there for years for that stuff. You know what I mean? And it's ridiculous, you know what I mean? A fine, you know, a slap on a wrist, six months.
'You know, anything you do as a first offense should be more than a fine, not 15-years, or whatever the hell they give by, you know, for certain things like this, which I've seen them all in there.
'You know what I mean? Who had 20 years. Who had 30 years. For tax things? You know what I mean? I'm not talking about, you kill somebody.
'Murderers get out before people like do tax frauds in the states. You know what I mean? First time, you should get a slap on a wrist, a fine. All right, take the money away, do whatever you gotta do.
'But, you know, to break up a family and, you know, destroy their lives over one mistake. I don't think it's fair.'
Despite being furious over his jail sentence and deportation, Giudice said - as he did on Instagram - he hopes to overturn his deportation order and return to the US to be closer to his daughters.
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