Trump Burger’s co-owner in Houston, Texas, is now facing something worse than bankruptcy for his food chain. Because recently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) came knocking at his door. After the arrest, Trump Burger’s owner was discovered to have falsified his claims about owning a green card, and he’s now facing deportation along with the previous lawsuits his Trump-themed burger joint accumulated.
28-year-old Roland Beainy was the supposed green card holder in question, and a Lebanese immigrant in Houston, Texas. Despite Beainy’s initial success at being able to found his own restaurant chain (with the help of other co-owners), it appears he neglected his visa status and overstayed; Beainy was supposed to leave the US in 2024. Hence, ICE arrested him on May 16, and after the trial and investigation, ICE concluded on August 7 that Beainy didn’t have a green card at all.
“Despite false claims to the contrary, Roland Mehrez Beainy does not have any immigration benefits that prevented his arrest or removal from the United States.
Beainy is a 28-year-old illegal alien from Lebanon who entered the United States in 2019 as a non-immigrant visitor, but he failed to depart by Feb. 12, 2024, as required under the terms of his admission. ICE officers arrested him on May 16, 2025, and he was placed into immigration proceedings. On June 13, an immigration judge granted his request for bond while he undergoes his proceedings.
Under the current administration, ICE is committed to restore integrity to our nation’s immigration system by holding all individuals accountable who illegally enter the country or overstay the terms of their admission. This is true regardless of what restaurant you own or political beliefs you might have,” according to ICE’s statement, transcript courtesy of KHOU
Now, it appears ICE and federal judges are deliberating on Beainy’s deportation, based on the federal agency’s statement. It’s worth noting that Beainy is only a co-owner, meaning Trump Burger might not shut down at all even in his potential or impending absence. Beainy so far hasn’t responded to ICE’s statement.
Still, before the deportation threats and ICE arrest, Trump Burger had been facing several lawsuits. Donald Trump’s lawyers have notably sent a Cease and Desist Letter to Trump Burger. According to Trump’s lawyers:
“We were surprised to learn that you have been flagrantly infringing upon the Trump Organization’s valuable and well-established intellectual property right by operating at least three restaurants under the Trump name and brand… this use risks misleading the public into falsely believing that your business is affiliated with the Trump Organization or endorsed by our clients,” according to the Cease and Desist Letter, transcript courtesy of Fayette County Record
People Online Have a Beef with Trump Burger
It’s not clear what Beainy’s definitive mission was when he started the “brand,” but the co-owner seemingly planned to profit from US President Donald Trump’s popularity and notoriety in equal measure. Menu items such as the MAGA burger, red hats, and even Donald Trump’s life-sized cutouts were mainstays in the four Trump Burger chains throughout Texas.
Other lawsuits involving Trump Burger and Beainy are related to brand copyright and land lease battles, as it appears that other businessmen in Texas had the same idea of claiming the name. Trump Burger is certainly no stranger to controversy.
Beainy notably placed lots of attention on himself by establishing such a brand, and I wonder if doing so has inadvertently increased his deportation risk. Now, with the impending and rather ironic deportation worries for the co-owner, some people were quick to celebrate the situation, stating that what they assumed to be a grift attempt has been punished accordingly.
“That’s because trump didn’t get his cut of the profits,” assumes Ritaredditonce
“Ask about the secret menu they keep in the basement,” jokes sprufus
“I drove past one of these monstrosities a while back. Completely jaw-dropping, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would have thought it was a joke. Isn’t this embarrassing? Or is this just standard cult behavior? I suppose if the FBI director got his job by writing his future boss a children’s book, nothing should be surprising,” claims silian_rail_gun
