US President Donald Trump Defends US Visa Policy Ahead of World Cup Opener
- United States of America President Donald Trump has defended the country's visa policy ahead of the World Cup opener
- African best referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the North American nation despite receiving a visa previously
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino has backed President Trump, while promising efforts to resolve entry issues
United States of America President Donald Trump has defended the country’s immigration and visa policies amid growing anger and confusion surrounding entry into the nation.
For the first time, 48 nations will compete for football's ultimate prize across three host countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico.
A total of 104 matches will be played over five weeks, beginning with hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening game at the iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday, June 11.
Source: Getty Images
Why was Omar Artan denied entry to the US?
Donald Trump's administration has attributed the decision to reject referee Omar Artan as a national security concern.
According to US officials, immigration authorities flagged information during a secondary inspection process that raised concerns about Artan's admissibility into the country.
Officials claimed the concerns involved alleged associations with individuals suspected of having links to terrorist organisations, per BBC.
Somalia has long battled extremist groups, including the al-Shabaab militant group, which remains one of the country's most active security threats.
A senior administration official later told reporters that authorities discovered information linking the traveller to individuals suspected of involvement with terror organisations. He said:
“Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered. President Trump's administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country, full stop.”
What did President Trump say?
Source: Getty Images
US President Donald Trump said his administration is working around the clock to ensure the right people gain access to the country, per Al Jazeera.
Speaking during a press briefing in the Oval Office, Trump described the tournament as the most successful World Cup ever. He said:
“We’re working on it very closely to make sure the right people come into our country.
“It’s the most successful World Cup they have ever had.”
FIFA president Infantino defends President Trump
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has backed the policy put in place by US President Donald Trump.
Infantino defended the security screening process imposed on countries (including officials) and stressed the scale of the challenge facing tournament organisers. He said:
“It’s not easy when you have 300,000 accredited people, the majority of whom are from outside of the US, to process and vet.
“You don’t know. Unfortunately, our world is a very aggressive world and security goes above everything, and you need to respect the decisions which are taken.”
Infantino acknowledged that FIFA has been attempting to resolve issues wherever possible.
US government places a ban on content creators
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States government has warned foreign influencers against creating content with the primary purpose of generating income while visiting the country on tourist visas.
US authorities argue that generating income from content creation may be considered unauthorised employment if the individual does not possess the appropriate work authorisation.
Source: Legit.ng
