A popular hot sauce maker in a battle with government officials in California says the U.S. reminds him of communist Vietnam, a country he and his family fled over 30 years ago.

David Tran, the CEO of Huy Fong Foods, told NPR: "Today, I feel almost the same. Even now, we live in [the] USA, and my feeling, the government, not a big difference."

Huy Fong Food’s Sriracha, the cult hot sauce, has faced months of red tape and shutdown threats from Irwindale, Calif., officials after a few dozen residents complained they were suffering from burning eyes, headaches and asthma.

Despite local government disputes, Tran, who has lived in California for 30 years, has decided to stay in his Irwindale factory. However, he is not ruling out opening another Sriracha factory outside of California.

On Monday, Texas state Rep. Jason Villalaba visited the plant in an effort to attract Tran’s business to the Lone Star State.