Gov. Greg Abbott has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate “wudu” ablution foot-washing stations in Texas airports.
The request comes in a Friday letter addressed to U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon.
Late last week, Abbott addressed the presence of ablution stations in the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW) and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) by issuing a review of grant funds allocated to entities that operate airports in Texas.
If an airport operator is determined to have violated anti-discrimination laws, the result could be a revocation of grant funds issued by the state of Texas.
“These ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion,” wrote Abbott in a letter to DFW Airport CEO Christopher McLaughlin.
“I am unaware of either airport installing standalone facilities to meet the particular needs of the many other religious groups represented across Texas. That is illegal. Both airports are government-owned facilities.”
DFW airport officials quickly announced they would not be moving forward with the construction of new ablution stations. However, no announcement was made on those currently installed in the airport.
Asked in a recent interview with Benny Johnson about this, Abbott explained that “once somebody is doing something inside the TSA checkpoint, that is controlled by the federal government.”
“And that’s why I sent a letter to [U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy] saying, ‘Hey, listen, this is taking place. It is in violation of prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of religion.’”
In his letter to the DOJ, Abbott explained the situation and its incompatibility with federal law.
“[These ablution stations] are not comparable to any existing ‘interfaith chapels,’ which are open and available to all, because (in these particular instances) [the stations] are clearly purposed to benefit the Muslim population alone,” wrote Abbott.
“It goes without saying: The U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from facilitating this sort of discrimination.”
Abbott noted that the federal government is the primary authority overseeing all airports in the nation, “including the authority to inspect and regulate terminal facilities.”
“To put it simply, it is clear that these government-owned airports have used—and continue to use—funds charged to the public to finance, maintain, advertise, and operate Muslim-only spaces on property that should be open and accessible to all citizens.”
Abbott also notified Deputy Assistant Attorney General Eric Hamilton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Aaron Reitz, and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould in the letter.
Abbott is requesting “that the U.S. Department of Justice immediately review these discriminatory facilities at DFW and IAH and take appropriate corrective action.”
“Airports can no more offer Muslim-only bathroom spaces than they can maintain white-only bathrooms,” wrote Abbott. “I look forward to working with [Blanche and Dhillon] and am committed to ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their religion, are treated equally in Texas airports.”
