Roland Beainy, a Lebanese immigrant who arrived in the U.S. in 2019, is caught in a whirlwind of legal troubles threatening his American dream as co-owner of Trump Burger, a Texas-based burger chain capitalizing on President Donald Trump’s brand. Facing potential deportation after his green card was revoked over an alleged sham marriage, Beainy is also locked in a bitter lawsuit with business partner Eddie Hawa over ownership of the chain, which boasts locations in Bellville, Flatonia, Houston, and Kemah. With an immigration hearing looming on November 18, 2025, and the Trump Organization issuing cease-and-desist letters, Beainy’s future—and Trump Burger’s—is on shaky ground. Is this a case of entrepreneurial ambition clashing with immigration enforcement, or a self-inflicted mess fueled by sloppy deals and political branding? With a nod to the gritty, unfiltered lens of a seasoned skeptic, let’s unravel the chaos, from ICE detention to courtroom showdowns, and see what’s cooking behind the scenes.
Who Is Roland Beainy?
Beainy, born and raised in Lebanon, moved to the U.S. in 2019 and dove into the restaurant business, leveraging his 20 years of food industry experience from Dubai and Lebanon. He co-founded Trump Burger, a chain that opened its first location in Bellville, Texas, on Election Day 2020, serving up Angus beef patties branded with Trump’s name alongside “Trump 2024” merch and slogans like “You’re fake news!” Beainy, a vocal Trump supporter, praised the president as a “gentleman that makes peace,” citing economic benefits like falling cooking oil prices from $50 to $28 under Trump’s policies. The chain, with locations in Bellville, Flatonia, Houston, and Kemah, has drawn both loyalists and critics, with Houston Chronicle reviewer Bao Ong noting its rally-like vibe. Beainy claims a 50% stake in Trump Burger LLC, but his legal and immigration woes are threatening his grip on the business.
Deportation Risk: A Marriage Under Scrutiny
Beainy’s green card troubles surfaced in a January 29, 2025, letter from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to a woman in East Bernard, Texas, claiming to be his wife. The letter, obtained by The Fayette County Record, stated USCIS’s intent to revoke her I-130 Petition for Alien Relative, which secured Beainy’s green card. The agency’s investigation found “no lease documents or other evidence” showing the couple lived together, alleging the marriage was fraudulent. Beainy was detained by ICE for seven weeks, from early June to late July 2025, before being released on bond. His deportation hearing is set for November 18, 2025, in Houston.
The timing stings. Trump’s 2024 campaign promised mass deportations, and USCIS has ramped up removal proceedings for those accused of fraud, with a Pew Research survey noting 43% of immigrants fear deportation in 2025, up from 33% in March. X posts amplify the irony, with users like @AzPetrich joking about a “FAFO burger” for Beainy, referencing “find out, fuck around.” Others, like @rloewe65, claim the marriage fraud surfaced during Beainy’s own lawsuit. If deported, Beainy could lose his stake in Trump Burger and his life in the U.S., a harsh blow for a Trump supporter banking on his brand.
The Ownership Feud: Beainy vs. Hawa
Beainy’s legal battles don’t end with immigration. In April 2025, he sued Eddie Hawa (aka Iyad Abuelhawa), co-founder of Trump Burger, in Fayette County, claiming he paid $65,000 in 2019 for a 50% stake in the chain. Hawa, who started the original Bellville location, denies any formal agreement and countersued for $1 million in damages, alleging Beainy’s claim is baseless. Affidavits from Beainy’s partners, Bart and Dana Blakelock, support his claim, stating Hawa received the money in March 2025. The case, still pending, has escalated tensions, with Hawa’s counterclaim arguing no written contract exists.
The feud has drawn attention on X, with @BuddyRevel17394 and @BreakingNews4X highlighting Beainy’s ownership claim and immigration woes. The dispute threatens Trump Burger’s stability, especially as the Trump Organization sent cease-and-desist letters demanding the chain stop using Trump’s name, prompting a rebrand to “MAGA Burger USA” in Kemah.
More Lawsuits: Kemah and Beyond
Beainy’s troubles pile higher. In June 2025, he sued landlord Archie Patterson and his companies, 409 Bradford LLC and All Tex Personnel LLC, in Harris County, alleging Patterson forcibly removed him from the Kemah Trump Burger on June 7, 2025, over a disputed $20,000 liquor license deal and a $125,000 lease addendum Beainy claims he never signed. Patterson countersued in Galveston County on July 8, alleging Beainy and lease guarantors Barton Blakelock and Tony White owe $39,164 for unpaid taxes, utilities, and repairs. Patterson’s team also noted Beainy’s ICE detention and green card revocation, disqualifying him as a leaseholder.
Separately, Beshara Janho, a former partner from Lebanon, sued Beainy in Harris County in November 2024, alleging Beainy misled him into investing $50,000 in BR Concepts, a company running Patti’s Diner and two Empire Pizza locations. Janho claims Beainy cut him out in 2023 and withheld documents needed for his L-1 visa, which expired. Janho seeks $200,000 to $1 million, with the case still pending.
The Bigger Picture: Immigration and Branding Backlash
Beainy’s saga reflects broader tensions. Trump’s immigration crackdown, including stricter USCIS scrutiny of marriage-based green cards, puts entrepreneurs like Beainy at risk. The Trump Burger brand, while popular with supporters, alienates others, with Reddit users on r/houston slamming it as “MAGA propaganda” and wishing it failure. Critics like @pacjun10 on X revel in the irony of Beainy’s deportation risk, given Trump’s policies. Meanwhile, the chain’s expansion plans—new locations in Houston—are stalled by legal and branding issues.
What’s Next? A High-Stakes Hearing
Beainy’s November 18 hearing will decide his fate. A favorable ruling could let him stay and fight for Trump Burger’s control; deportation would upend his business and life. The ownership lawsuit with Hawa, pending in Fayette County, and the Kemah dispute with Patterson could reshape the chain’s future. If the Trump Organization enforces its trademark demands, “MAGA Burger” may replace Trump Burger entirely. For now, Beainy’s American dream hangs by a thread, caught between immigration law, courtroom battles, and the volatile politics of Trump’s brand. As X user @trueprison put it, it’s a “juicy burger” of a story—one that’s far from fully cooked.
