Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered a review of all state grant funding for Texas airport operators and referred Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport to federal officials over allegations of illegal religious discrimination.
The action came after reports that DFW Airport planned to install more Muslim foot-washing stations in two public bathrooms.
Abbott’s directive calls for an examination of active and future state grant funds to entities that operate airports in Texas, including DFW and IAH. The review could result in revocation of existing grant funds or denial of future awards if an airport operator is determined to have violated anti-discrimination laws.
The governor also asked the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration to investigate religious facilities at DFW and IAH for possible discrimination and to “take appropriate corrective action” if necessary.
After the new Muslim ablution station project was cancelled amid significant public backlash, many online drew attention to the already-existing ablution stations present in DFW and IAH.
These stations are used for Islamic ritual purification or “wudu.” In the IAH ablution stations, “passengers will find copies of the Quran, prayer rugs, prayer beads and a turbah [prayer stone], used by some during prayer.”
In a letter to DFW Airport CEO Christopher McLaughlin, Abbott stated that “these ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion.” Abbott stated he was “unaware of [DFW or IAH] installing standalone facilities to meet the particular needs of the many other religious groups represented across Texas.”
“This is illegal,” wrote Abbott. “Both airports are government-owned facilities. Both the federal and state constitutions prohibit government from facilitating this sort of discrimination.”
“My office is actively reviewing all grants to any local governmental entities involved in these schemes for possible revocation of past grant money and cancellation of any future funds that have been dedicated by my Office,” added Abbott.
Abbott noted that, because the airports receive federal funds, they “[are required] to comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination and protecting the equal rights of all Americans … [as] enforced through the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Compliance Program.”
“Accordingly, this letter serves to notify you that any development, provision, or continued operation of such exclusionary religious spaces in government-owned facilities violates state and federal law and the terms of any grant agreements between the State of Texas and your organizations,” wrote Abbott in his letter to McLaughlin. “Engaging in these discriminatory practices will subject any organizations found to be in violation to the withdrawal of grant funding and other enforcement actions.”
The mayors of Dallas, Houston, and Fort Worth were also notified of the letters by Abbott, as well as U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche.
“Government-owned airports cannot favor one religion over all others,” said Abbott in an X post Friday. “Texas will not allow illegal religious discrimination at taxpayer-funded facilities.”
