In a striking twist of irony, Roland Mehrez Beainy, the owner of the Donald Trump-themed Trump Burger chain in Texas, finds himself facing deportation after a recent arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
According to The Guardian, this case encapsulates the arrest of Beainy on May 16, 2025, for overstaying his visitor status, placing him in immigration proceedings under the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation policies.
Beainy, a 28-year-old Lebanese national, first entered the United States in 2019 on a non-immigrant visitor visa. According to an ICE spokesperson, he was required to depart the country by Feb. 12, 2024. However, Beainy remained in the U.S., building a business that would soon gain national attention.
In 2020, Beainy launched the first Trump Burger location in Bellville, Texas, a small town that became the starting point for his unique restaurant chain. The eatery, adorned with memorabilia honoring President Donald Trump, opened during a turbulent year when Trump lost his reelection bid to Joe Biden. The chain’s menu, featuring satirical items aimed at Trump’s political adversaries, quickly drew a loyal following.
Despite its popularity, Trump Burger faced challenges from the start, including threats to burn down the original location in 2022, as Beainy reported to local media. Nevertheless, the business expanded to other Texas cities, such as Houston, gaining further recognition. Beainy also directed a portion of the restaurant’s profits to support Trump’s fundraising efforts, as he shared with the Houston Chronicle.
Adding to his troubles, Beainy encountered legal disputes unrelated to his immigration status. In Kemah, Texas, a landlord forcibly removed staff from a Trump Burger location, leading Beainy to file a lawsuit accusing the landlord of unlawful actions. The landlord countered with a lawsuit claiming unpaid debts and renamed the location Maga Burger.
Beainy’s immigration issues came to a head on May 16, 2025, when ICE officers detained him for overstaying his visa. He is now in immigration proceedings, with a court hearing tentatively set for Nov. 18, 2025. Beainy has denied the validity of the charges against him, telling the Houston Chronicle, “Ninety percent of the shit they’re saying is not true.”
Complicating matters, Beainy applied for legal status after reportedly marrying a woman in the U.S. However, the Department of Homeland Security claims there is no evidence he lived with her during the marriage, according to a report by the Fayette County Record. This has cast further doubt on his bid to remain in the country legally.
The timing of Beainy’s arrest coincides with a renewed push for mass deportations under Donald Trump’s second presidency, which began in January 2025. ICE has emphasized its commitment to enforcing immigration laws, regardless of an individual’s political affiliations or business ventures.
In a statement, the agency declared, “Under the current administration, ICE is committed to restoring integrity to our nation’s immigration system by holding all individuals accountable who illegally enter the country or overstay the terms of their admission.”
The agency added, “This is true regardless of what restaurant you own or political beliefs you might have.” Beainy’s case is not an isolated incident, as other Trump supporters have faced similar fates. In California, a Canadian national who endorsed Trump’s deportation policies was detained while seeking permanent residency and labeled “an illegal alien from Canada” by federal authorities.
Another case involved a Christian Armenian Iranian woman in California who lost her legal residency due to a 2008 burglary conviction. Despite her support for Trump, she was detained in a federal facility, leaving her four U.S. citizen children behind. Her husband criticized the situation, blaming former President Joe Biden’s “open borders” policies, as reported by Newsweek.
Despite his legal battles, Beainy has long expressed a desire for recognition from Trump himself. In 2022, he told the Houston Chronicle, “I would love to have [Trump’s] blessing and have him come by.” He added, “We’re hoping that he … sees the place.”
Trump Burger has become more than just a restaurant; it’s a symbol of political allegiance for many in Texas. Its loyal customer base has rallied around Beainy’s vision, even as he faces personal and legal challenges. The chain’s cultural significance underscores the broader tensions surrounding immigration policy in the U.S. As Beainy awaits his immigration court hearing, his future in the U.S. remains uncertain. The outcome could impact not only his personal life but also the fate of Trump Burger as a brand. For now, his story serves as a stark reminder of the complexities of immigration enforcement, even for those who align with the administration’s political ideals.