In an ironic twist, Roland Beainy, the owner of the “Trump Burger” chain in Texas, is facing deportation after being arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Beainy, a 28-year-old from Lebanon, opened the Donald Trump-themed hamburger restaurants to show his support for the president, who is known for his hardline stance on immigration.
Beainy entered the U.S. as a non-immigrant visitor from Lebanon in 2019 and was supposed to leave the country by February 12, 2024. Despite his efforts to obtain legal status through a purported marriage, ICE maintains there is no evidence he ever lived with his wife during their alleged union. The irony deepens as Beainy’s arrest and potential deportation come at the hands of the very administration he has vocally supported.
ICE arrested Beainy on May 16, five years after he launched the first Trump Burger location in Bellville, Texas. The agency’s statement emphasized its commitment 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,” regardless of their restaurant ownership or political beliefs.
Beainy denied the charges against him, claiming that “ninety percent of the shit they’re saying is not true.” He is scheduled for an immigration court hearing on November 18. Ironic.
Trump Burger
The chain, as pathetic as it is, gained national attention in 2020 when Beainy opened the original location, coinciding with Trump’s loss to Joe Biden. The restaurant chain expanded to other locations, including Houston, and featured memorabilia and satirical menu items in support of Trump and against his political adversaries.
Beainy’s situation highlights the irony of Trump supporters facing immigration consequences under the administration’s policies. Other cases, like the Canadian woman detained while advocating for Trump’s deportation plans and the Armenian Iranian woman who lost her green card and was incarcerated despite supporting Trump, further illustrate this irony.
Adding to the complexity of Beainy’s situation, he has been involved in a legal battle with the landlord of a Trump Burger location in Kemah, Texas, over alleged unpaid debts and the renaming of the restaurant to MAGA Burger.
Despite threats and challenges, Beainy’s Trump Burger chain garnered a loyal following, with a portion of its profits set aside for Trump’s fundraising efforts. Beainy had hoped for Trump’s visit and blessing, saying, “We’re hoping that he… sees the place.”
In the end, the staunch supporter of Trump’s immigration policies finds himself ensnared by them, facing the very consequences he once supported. This ironic predicament underscores the complexities and unpredictability of U.S. immigration enforcement, even for those who back the system’s toughest measures.
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
– Martin Niemöller
