In a surprising turn of events, two illegal immigrants, Roland Beainy and Iyad Muhammad Abuelhawa, who sought to evade the law by establishing a restaurant chain named after President Donald Trump, have found themselves in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The duo launched their venture, Trump Burger, in 2020, offering a menu featuring items named after the President, his family, and the first lady.
According to the Western Journal, the Trump Burger chain, which boasts four locations across Texas, has gone to great lengths to brand itself with the Trump name. This includes branding burger buns with the name 'Trump' and employing impersonators to roam their establishments.
The menu even features a "Biden Burger," priced at $50.99, which includes a 1-ounce beef patty and "old tomato and our oldest buns available due to cheating and inflation."
Despite their pro-Trump stance, Beainy and Abuelhawa found themselves unable to sidestep the law. Beainy's green card was recently revoked on accusations of immigration fraud.
As reported by the Daily Mail, the Department of Homeland Security is investigating Beainy for a "sham marriage" aimed at exploiting immigration laws. He is set to face a hearing in November, where he could potentially face deportation.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services could not find evidence that Beainy and his alleged wife were ever genuinely together. Her family also confirmed that the marriage was not legitimate.
ICE told Fox News, "Despite false claims to the contrary, Roland Mehrez Beainy does not have any immigration benefits that prevented his arrest or removal from the United States."
Abuelhawa, on the other hand, has a lengthy criminal record, including healthcare fraud and drug misbranding. In 2007, he was convicted for running a fraudulent flu shot operation in Houston, Texas, where he reportedly injected residents with what he claimed were flu shots, affecting around 1,600 people.
Although he was scheduled for deportation after his release, he managed to stay in the country using an alias.
The troubles for the pair do not end there. They are currently embroiled in a dispute over the ownership of Trump Burger. Beainy claims to have bought a 50 percent stake in the original location from Abuelhawa, who is countersuing over the issue.
Beainy has also received a cease-and-desist order from the Trump Organization, as the use of the President's likeness was never authorized.
The saga of Trump Burger, while seemingly absurd and over-the-top, is also undeniably captivating. Perhaps these two individuals are indeed fitting to carry the Trump name and provide Texans with a unique burger chain experience.
However, their story serves as a stark reminder of the statement made by ICE to Fox News. Regardless of political affiliation or the extent of one's admiration for Trump, no one is exempt from the law.
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