St. Paul, Minn. – On Saturday, June 5, Somali-born referee Omar Abdulakir Artan arrived in the United States for his assignment as a referee at the World Cup soccer tournament. According to Artan, he was interrogated and held in detainment for more than 12 hours at the Miami airport, despite his FIFA credentials and a work visa. Artan was denied entry into the United States by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which said he was “inadmissible due to vetting concerns.”
Senator Zaynab Mohamed (DFL-Minneapolis) issued the following statement:
“The absurd denial of Omar Artan from entry into the United States is an insult to him and to billions of soccer fans around the world. Deporting a soccer referee is politically motivated racism and xenophobia that goes against the spirt of the World Cup. Omar Artan is one of the best referees in the world, and this was the biggest moment in his life. I’m heartbroken for him. No one should be surprised Donald Trump is afraid of someone who knows the rules and can judge right from wrong.”
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