Well, this is both interesting and downright fun. Two longtime Trump supporters in Texas created a popular chain of burger joints. It was literally named Trump Burger, and it seems is heavily Trump/MAGA themed right down to branding Trump on the burger’s buns. Alas, that wasn’t enough to shield the creators/owners of the franchise from the ICE storm that descended upon and DETAINED them a few months back. Well, new episode of this saga has been produced and put out that, borrowing from Star Wars could be titled ‘The Franchise Strikes Back!’ (in gold letters of course)
Imagine the start of the original Star Wars trilogy with the background of stars and in gold letters the premise for the movie that will follow is set. In this case it would say something like: In a state called Texas MAGA ruled. People worshiped the Emperor, even lots of immigrants. Some went to great lengths to display their worship including two who created a MAGA burger joint named for the Emperor himself…But it turned out these two immigrants were ILLEGAL immigrants and ICE Troopers were dispatched…
Yep, the owners of the Trump Burger franchise both happen to be dudes who overstayed their Visas. By a lot. If at some point they figured their years of Trump worship via their burger biz would save them from Trump’s immigration crackdown they were mistaken. ICE did come a calling and both were detained as this article from The Daily Beast tells us:
Trump Burger, a Texas restaurant chain whose fare and decor conspicuously nod to the commander-in-chief, was thrust into the spotlight when founders Roland Beainy, 28, and Iyad Abuelhawa, 55, were caught up in their idol’s immigration crackdown.
Both men were accused of overstaying their visas and arrested by ICE officials.
Maybe they forgot to give Trumpty a cut of the action? It IS after all a franchise so one assumes the pair have banked some good coin over the years. However let’s face the cold, hard facts. Using Trump’s name to make money without offering/paying tribute is about the same as praying for a sh*tstorm to rain down only in this case it was an ICE Storm. Overstaying Visas?
Well, an awful lot of people have done that and some have tried to clean up their mess by letting authorities know. If they keep out of trouble periodic visits to some immigration office is sufficient to allow them to stay. In the case of Abuelhawa it’s hard to imagine him being stupid enough to think his time wasn’t coming. Originally from Israel and in this country for a long time he was arrested on June 2. It turns out he actually is a convicted criminal:
In 2007, Abuelhawa, who previously served time in federal prison, was convicted of health-care fraud and misbranding of a drug for dangerously injecting 1,600 Houston-area residents with fake flu shots. He has also been separately convicted of assault and intimidation.
These are serious crimes, and the guy did time in prison so it’s hard to feel sorry for him. Perhaps if sent to some hellhole country but I suspect a quiet word from the Israeli ambassador will ensure he winds up back in Israel. As for his Lebanese (WTF? – two guys from those two countries partnering up?) partner Beainy who got scooped up in May things are closer to the ‘find something, ANYTHING to use excuse’ ICE is infamous for:
ICE has said that he entered the U.S. as “a non-immigrant visitor” in 2019 and was supposed to have left the country by mid-February last year. DHS has accused him of attempting to have a “sham” marriage in a bid to stay in the country.
This is more like what we’ve come to know and hate from ICE but it’s hard to muster much sympathy for the guy. He is after all (or was) a full-blown MAGA. Unfortunately for him he’s not from a country, say Israel that the Orange Painted Turd-God Emperor he worshipped likes. And he’s a young guy so his life has taken a turn for the worse from which it’s unlikely to recover. ETTD.
By now you’re asking what about this ‘The Franchise Strikes Back’ I brought up earlier? I’ll explain why whomever is running it now has done this in a minute. First you need to enjoy their sendup of Trump and ICE. And it really is an in-your-face mocking of Trumpty and his ICE Troopers. Since it’s not a twitter video I can embed here you’ll have to click here or on the linked article to view it but it WILL have gotten notice from Miller, Noem and even Trump by now. The chain’s tongue-in-cheek skit is pretty pointed with its tropes:
“We’re at Trump Burger, they asked me to do an ice inspection and I got ICE with me,” the ‘president’ says in the clip, gesturing towards a man dressed in dark clothing, a face covering, shades, and a Trump-themed cap.
“Let’s check the ice machine,” the actor, clad in a MAGA hat, suit, and Trumpesque toupee, goes on. “What do you think in here? I’d say that passes. Really, really clean ice, absolutely huge ice. Really clean ice.”
The pair head for the kitchen, prompting a Spanish-speaking worker to bolt out of the back door and into a waiting pickup. His hasty departure provided the quip for the caption, “Happy Labor Day, Hiring New Chef.”
If not award winning production quality it’s still well enough done that you should check it out because given the context I’ve provided (or hope I have) you’ll find it funny in an ironic sort of way. One thing for sure, if these two haven’t been deported by now or are at least on the waiting list they sure as hell are goners now! Frankly, given this is the first I’ve heard of this (maybe it was news in Texas) I suspect the purpose of doing this months later is NOT protest, but a cold and calculated hostile takeover of the business.
I for one can easily imagine a deal being quietly made between would-be new ownership and Trump to get the “illegals” out of the picture (literally out of the country) with their assets forfeited and for a cut of the profits which Trump could easily boost by when in Texas showing up at a Trump Burger joint good ole white boy ‘Real Mur-i-cun’ ownership gets the prize.
Then again, I’ve watched this spoof several times and while I’m certain it will ensure the original owners are gone forever those who produced it might well have crossed the line. Trump simply doesn’t have the ability to laugh at himself. He won’t find anything at all funny but plenty to get pissed off about. Trump has the ability to bankrupt that franchise with a single post on Truth Social which would get reposted on Xitter.
I COULD see him buying the franchise at a bankruptcy proceeding. It could be something Fred 1 and Fredo 2 (Don Jr. and Etic) could run, at least with ole dad dropping in now and then with cameras. Just a thought.
