Teresa Giudice Says Husband Joe Is 'Being Very Positive' as Deportation Looms

"I never thought I'd be in this position," says Teresa Giudice

Despite his upcoming deportation, Teresa Giudice revealed that her husband Joe is doing his best to stay strong as he serves out a 41-month prison sentence for mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud that began in March 2016.

Appearing on Good Morning America, Tuesday, the 46-year-old Real Housewives of New Jersey star opened up about an immigration court’s ruling last month to deport Joe to his native Italy after his prison sentence, admitting the situation was “heartbreaking” and “very sad” for her family. (She shares daughters Gia, 17, Gabriella, 14, Milania, 13, and Audriana, 9, with Joe.)

“The girls are really upset,” she said. “It’s hard for them. Adults can handle anything, but it’s hard for children to go through this. They’re asking themselves, ‘Why is this happening to me? I want my daddy to come home.’ ”

Joe, meanwhile is “being very positive,” Teresa said.

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As for herself?

“I never thought I’d be in this position,” she said, confessing that the situation was hard on the couple’s marriage.

“It’s very difficult. We’ve been through a lot,” she said. “I’ve gone through ups and downs, being angry — but listen, I have to stay strong. I have four beautiful daughters that need their mommy.”

While the family plans to appeal the ruling, Joe could still be deported. Asked how she would handle it, the Bravo star said she would simply “take it one day at a time.”

Teresa, who served a little over 11 months in prison, herself, for the same crimes and was released on Dec. 23, 2015, recently opened up to PEOPLE about the strain Joe’s sentence has caused on the marriage.

“Of course I’m very angry,” she said. “I wish my husband would have crossed every T, dotted every I. There was also another person involved and nothing happened to that person, which is very sad. There’s a lot of scenarios. I lost my mom. I’m angry about that. You know? I lost time with my mom, because I was away. There’s a lot. I lost time with my daughters while I was away. Children need their mom.”

“He left when Adriana was 6. She’s 9 now. Yeah. It’s two and a half years. I mean, it’s going to be three years,” she added. “He’s lost three years with his children.”

Although Joe’s future after his spring 2019 release is unknown, the family is doing everything in their power to make sure that he returns home to New Jersey.

“They know we’re gonna fight it. They know mommy is doing everything she can,” Teresa said. “They know I’m doing everything I can. So that’s it. That’s all I can do.”