Roland Mehrez Beainy, 28, a Lebanese immigrant and owner of the Houston, Texas-based “Trump Burger” restaurant chain, is facing possible deportation after immigration authorities claim he overstayed his visa and engaged in marriage fraud.
Beainy, who opened the first Trump Burger in 2020, now operates locations in Houston, Kemah, and Flatonia.
However, his visitor visa expired in February of 2024, per The Guardian, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement eventually arrested him in May of 2025.
Authorities also allege that Beainy has an assault charge on his record, as well as an illegal attempt to gain permanent residency through a marriage that DHS considers fraudulent. Family members of his even described the marriage as a “sham designed to game the system,” to investigators on his case, according to The New Republic.
Additionally, the DHS says there is no evidence that Beainy and the woman in question ever lived together.
Beainy has denied most of the allegations, almost comically telling Chron that they are “90 percent of the s–t they’re saying is not true.”
Beainy’s immigration hearing is scheduled for November 18, 2025.
Beainy is also involved in legal disputes over the restaurant chain, including a countersuit from co-founder Iyad Abuelhawa regarding ownership stakes, as well as a landlord dispute at the Kemah location.
Beainy’s legal dispute with Abuelhawa, also known as Eddie Hawa, surrounds an ongoing argument over ownership of the restaurant. Beainy maintains that he bought Hawa’s 50 percent share for $65,000. At the same time, Hawa, the founder of the original Trump Burger in Bellville, disputes the claim and has filed a countersuit seeking $1 million in damages.
As of the time of publication, Trump Burger’s location in Houston remains open. Google reviews currently sit at 3.1 out of 5 stars, a notably low score for any restaurant.
The Flatonia location score is even worse, sitting at 2.8 out of 5 stars as of Thursday. The Kemah location is currently listed as “permanently closed” by the search engine, and it also shares some dismal reviews. Hawa’s Trump Burger location in Bellville, however, has much better reviews, with a comparably high 4.4-star rating.