Trump Burger Founder Faces Deportation Amid Legal Disputes

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Roland Mehrez Beainy, co-founder of the Texas-based fast food chain Trump Burger, is currently facing deportation proceedings, according to reports. The 28-year-old Lebanese national, who launched the restaurant brand in 2020, has encountered legal and immigration challenges that have put his future in the United States in jeopardy.

Trump Burger was established in November 2020 by Beainy and his business partner, Iyad Abuelhawa, also known as Eddie Hawa. The first location opened in Bellville, Texas, with subsequent expansions into Kemah, Flatonia, Bay City, and the Greater Houston area. The chain, inspired by President Donald Trump’s brand, has attracted attention both for its namesake and its rapid growth.

Beainy has a background in the food industry, owning multiple restaurants in Dubai and Lebanon before expanding into the U.S. market. However, his American venture has been marred by legal disputes, including conflicts with the property owner in Kemah and tensions between the two co-owners.

According to a January 30, 2025, report from Fox Business, Beainy arrived in the United States in 2019 on a non-immigrant visitor visa, with an authorized stay that expired on February 12, 2024. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials say Beainy overstayed his visa and remained in the country unlawfully.

ICE sources have described Beainy as an “illegal alien” and claim he attempted to use a marriage to a U.S. citizen as a way to stay legally. However, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reportedly investigated the marriage and concluded it was a “sham,” lacking sufficient evidence to support the claim of a bona fide relationship.

Legal experts note that immigration authorities are increasingly scrutinizing marriages that may be used to circumvent the law. Beainy’s case highlights the complexities and challenges faced by foreign entrepreneurs seeking to build businesses in the U.S. under strict immigration regulations.

Trump Burger’s brand, leveraging the president’s name, has drawn both support and criticism. Still, the chain has succeeded in carving out a niche in Texas’s competitive fast food market, despite internal and external conflicts.

In recent interviews, industry observers have pointed out that the fate of Trump Burger now depends largely on the outcome of Beainy’s immigration case. Any forced departure could have significant implications for the chain’s operations and future expansion.