The arrest of a Lebanese-born restaurant owner in Texas has become a striking example of the uncompromising immigration enforcement measures now underway under President Donald Trump’s second term.
Roland Mehrez Beainy, 28, founder of the Trump Burger restaurant chain, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 16, 2025, for allegedly overstaying his visa and engaging in a fraudulent marriage to obtain legal status. ICE maintains that Beainy entered the United States in 2019 as a non-immigrant visitor and failed to depart by February 12, 2024, as required. The agency further asserts that there is no evidence he ever resided with the woman he purportedly married.
Beainy, whose Bellville, Texas, flagship restaurant is adorned with memorabilia celebrating Trump and serves menu items mocking his political opponents, has denied the allegations. In remarks to the Houston Chronicle, he said, “Ninety percent of the [allegations] they’re saying is not true.” His immigration court hearing is tentatively scheduled for November 18.
ICE issued a statement underscoring its intent to hold all violators accountable regardless of political affiliation or business ownership, saying it is committed to “restore integrity to our nation’s immigration system.” The agency emphasized that enforcement applies equally “regardless of what restaurant you own or political beliefs you might have.”
Beainy’s arrest highlights a broader trend under the Trump administration, which has intensified mass deportation initiatives without carving out exceptions for political supporters. Recent enforcement actions have included the detention of a Canadian national who openly backed Trump’s immigration agenda and a Christian Armenian Iranian woman, also a Trump supporter, whose legal residency was revoked after a past criminal conviction.
In addition to his immigration case, Beainy is embroiled in a civil dispute with the landlord of his Kemah, Texas, Trump Burger location.
The landlord alleges unpaid debts and has rebranded the restaurant as Maga Burger after taking control of the premises. Beainy has countered with his own lawsuit, claiming unlawful takeover of the business.
Trump Burger first opened in 2020, shortly before Trump’s loss to Joe Biden. Beainy claimed that a portion of the restaurant’s profits supported Trump’s fundraising efforts and publicly expressed hopes that the former president would visit. The chain later expanded to other Texas cities, including Houston, despite facing threats in its early days.
Beainy remains in federal custody as his case proceeds, with his situation serving as a reminder that the administration’s immigration enforcement strategy is sweeping in scope and reaches even those who openly align themselves with its policies.
