A soccer referee from Somalia was refused admission to the United States when he landed at Miami International Airport over the weekend, despite holding valid documentation to work FIFA World Cup matches, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.
The official arrived Saturday on a flight from Istanbul International Airport but was turned away due to unspecified vetting issues, CBP announced Monday. Authorities did not elaborate on the nature of their concerns that led to the denial of entry.
While CBP officials declined to identify the individual, news outlets reported the referee was Omar Artan, an accomplished official who was poised to become the first person from Somalia to work World Cup games.
The Somali embassy in Washington has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the incident.
The situation highlights ongoing concerns about the Trump administration’s restrictive immigration approach affecting World Cup participants. Last year, the administration implemented broad travel restrictions affecting citizens from 12 nations, with Somalia among the countries included in the ban.
