South Florida immigration attorney explains why Somali FIFA referee could've been denied entry to US at MIA

A FIFA referee from Somalia spoke out after he was denied entry into the United States at Miami International Airport (MIA) this weekend over what officials called "vetting concerns".

Omar Abdulkadir Artan was preparing to join other FIFA referees who were already in Miami.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed the denial of entry in a statement, saying in part, "Following inspection, the traveler, a referee for the FIFA World Cup, was determined to be inadmissible due to vetting concerns and was denied entry". Officials did not offer more details about the nature of those concerns.

Artan told The New York Times that he had a visa when he arrived in Miami but was held and questioned for more than 11 hours before being told he would not be admitted into the country.

In a statement on social media Tuesday, Artan wrote: "Despite the circumstances, I am in a positive mood, and I am focused on the next challenges in my refereeing career".

Patricia Elizee, a local immigration attorney not connected to this specific case, said immigration officers at ports of entry have wide-ranging discretion.

"Just because you have a visa issued on your passport doesn't mean that you are guaranteed entry when you're physically at the border, either at the physical border or at an airport," she said. Elizee noted that the inspection process can delve into social media accounts, travel history, and other criteria that may include "immigration history, maybe about his family members in and outside of the US,".

FIFA acknowledged that Artan would not participate in U.S. World Cup games this year. The organization added in a statement, "In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country".