Somali referee Omar Artan was barred from entering the U.S. at Miami airport despite holding a valid visa, forcing him to miss the 2026 World Cup where he was set to become the first Somali to officiate in the tournament. The core facts are verified across BBC, Guardian, ESPN, and France24. However, the reason for his denial remains unclear. U.S. Customs and Border Protection cited unspecified violations but did not publicly explain the specific grounds for denying entry. Somalia is on a travel restrictions list that was introduced under the Trump administration, and some reporting links Artan's denial to U.S. immigration rules tied to that list. But official statements do not confirm whether this travel restrictions list was the direct cause or whether other factors were involved. Omar's post attributes the denial to 'racist' administration policy and frames it as a deliberate divisive act. The reported facts establish that the denial occurred, but they don't confirm the specific motivation behind it or whether it reflects a deliberate policy decision versus standard border enforcement procedures. Without clearer official explanation, attributing the denial to particular administration intent goes beyond what the available reporting establishes.