Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has directed state officials to review airport funding across the state after raising concerns about Islamic washing facilities at two of Texas’ busiest airports.
“These ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion. That is illegal,” Abbott said.
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is considering the installation of separate men’s and women’s foot-washing stations for wudu, the Islamic cleansing ritual performed before prayer. The proposed project was first described as privately funded, with an estimated price tag of $300,000 and a planned start date of August 31.
The state review could lead to existing grants being withdrawn and future funding being blocked for airport operators, including DFW and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston.
Abbott also urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to examine both airports for potential religious discrimination.
DFW has not yet moved forward with the proposed ablution facilities for Muslim travelers, while IAH already has an ablution area connected to a prayer room.
“Both airports are government-owned facilities,” Abbott said. “The federal and state constitutions prohibit government from facilitating this sort of discrimination.”
In his request, Abbott called on Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to direct the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration to review the airport facilities and order corrective action if warranted.
Both airports receive federal funding and are required to comply with federal laws barring religious discrimination. The funding for DFW’s proposed facilities also came under scrutiny after an earlier state filing said the project would be privately funded.
DFW later told the Dallas Express that was incorrect and that the project would instead be paid for with airport funds. In an email to the outlet, DFW said an outside design firm mistakenly selected “non-publicly funded” when filing the project with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
“That was an error and it should have indicated that airport funds would be used projects. We are putting in firm erroneously selected no dollars for its operation To prevent that kind of error in the future,” said DFW.
X users backed Abbott’s move, with some calling for similar scrutiny of other airports.
