British News Agency

In Texas, the owner of a Donald Trump-themed hamburger restaurant chain faces deportation after being detained by immigration authorities under the president’s order.

A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told The Guardian that 28-year-old Roland Mehrez Beainy entered the United States from Lebanon in 2019 as a “non-immigrant visitor” and was required to leave the country by February 12, 2024.

Referring to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Texas-based Fayette County Record newspaper reported that Beainy applied for legal status after claiming he married a woman; however, the agency stated there was no evidence he lived with the woman during the alleged marriage.

ICE said its officers arrested Beainy on May 16 — five years after he opened the first Trump Burger location — and that necessary proceedings had begun.

“This applies regardless of which restaurant you own or what political views you hold,” they said.

In a statement to the Houston Chronicle, Beainy denied ICE’s accusations, saying, “Ninety percent of what they say is nonsense.” His immigration court hearing is scheduled for November 18.

Trump Burger gained national attention after Beainy opened his first location in Bellville, Texas, in 2020. That same year, Trump lost his second presidential bid to Joe Biden. Beainy’s chain, filled with Trump memorabilia and satirical menus targeting his opponents, has since expanded to other locations, including Houston.