
MAGA co-founder of popular burger restaurant named in honor of Trump is ironically arrested by ICE
Roland Beainy, a Lebanese immigrant who turned his loyalty to Trump into a MAGA-branded burger empire, has been accused of immigration fraud and notified by federal officials that his green card is being revoked.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Beainy is under investigation over what has been described as a 'sham marriage' designed to exploit US immigration laws.
The revelation has ignited controversy across Texas, where Beainy has helped build a chain devoted to Trump's image complete with impersonators, burgers stamped with Trump's name, and menu items mocking former President Biden.
But the restaurateur known for glorifying deportation policies is now entangled in a potential deportation case of his own.
An immigration court hearing has been set for November 18, where Beainy could be formally ordered to leave the country.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) informed a woman claiming to be Beainy's wife that his I-130 application - the form used by American citizens to sponsor relatives for immigration status, would be revoked.
USCIS reportedly found no lease, joint accounts, or other proof that the two ever shared a life together.
Investigators say even the woman's own family acknowledged the marriage was a 'sham.'
Beainy's legal meltdown comes amid a torrent of litigation surrounding his beloved burger brand, Trump Burger which has grown to four Texas locations and features everything from the 'Trump Tower Burger' to the 'Melania Crispy Chicken.'
The gimmick is pure MAGA kitsch with menu items named after Trump family members, burgers stamped with Trump's name on the bun, and Trump impersonators roaming the dining rooms.
From its early days, Trump Burger was designed to be a monument to American bravado: red meat, big slogans and bigger portions.
It branded itself as unapologetically conservative and unabashedly pro-Trump down to the $50.99 'Biden Burger,' which features a measly 1-ounce patty and is topped with 'old tomato and our oldest buns available due to cheating and inflation.'
Launched in 2020 in Bellville, Texas, Trump Burger was Beainy's love letter to the 45th president - a man whose hardline immigration stance include ICE raids and mass deportations.
'The man who slapped Trump's face on a hamburger and called it freedom is now fighting to stay in the country,' one critic posted on Facebook. 'Turns out wrapping meat in patriotism doesn't automatically come with a green card renewal.'
Beainy's troubles with ICE appear to be just the beginning. He currently entangled in at least four lawsuits, including a bitter feud over ownership of the Trump Burger brand itself.
Beainy claims he purchased a 50% stake in the original restaurant from co-founder Iyad 'Eddie' Abuelhawa. But Abuelhawa denies there was ever a formal agreement and is countersuing Beainy, seeking $1 million in damages.
In a separate dispute, Beainy sued the property owner of Trump Burger's Kemah location, Archie Patterson, after Patterson evicted him and changed the signage to read 'MAGA Burger.'
Beainy's former business partner, Beshara Janho, is also suing him for over $1 million in damages related to another venture.
But the most brutal blow has come from Trump himself.
In February, the Trump Organization sent a cease-and-desist letter to Beainy, demanding he stop using Trump's name and image, citing potential consumer confusion and unauthorized brand use.
The restaurant is not endorsed by Donald Trump, the Trump family, or the Trump Organization.
Beainy's immigration court hearing is scheduled for November 18, where a judge will determine whether the green card revocation stands and whether Beainy will be deported.
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