US denies entry to Somali referee traveling for World Cup

June 8 : The United States denied entry to a Somali referee who arrived in the country over the weekend to officiate games during the FIFA World Cup, the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said on Monday.

The Somali national arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul International Airport on Saturday and was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry, the CBP said in a statement, without saying what those concerns were.

The CBP did not name the Somali national, but according to media reports, it was Omar Artan, an award-winning referee who had a valid visa and was set to be the first from his country to officiate at the World Cup.

Somalia's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Trump administration's strict immigration policies have been a point of concern for World Cup attendees, and last year Washington imposed a sweeping travel ban on citizens of 12 countries, including Somalia.