Texas – “Government-owned airports cannot favor one religion over all others,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on X Saturday after Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport abandoned plans to install new Islamic foot-washing facilities following criticism from the governor.
Abbott said the proposed facilities at DFW were illegal and announced that he had directed a review of state grants connected to both DFW and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
“DFW plans to install Islamic wudu washing facilities are illegal,” Abbott wrote. “I’ve directed a review of all state grants to both airports for possible revocation, and referred DFW & IAH to USDOT for investigation.”
The governor’s comments came one day after his office announced that he was directing a review of state grants to entities operating airports in Texas, including DFW and IAH, over what he characterized as religious discrimination at government-owned facilities.
Abbott also referred both airports to the U.S. Department of Transportation for investigation and possible enforcement action. His office said the airports receive federal funding and are required to comply with laws prohibiting religious discrimination.
The controversy centered on plans by DFW to install ablution facilities in restrooms at Terminal D. The facilities are designed to allow Muslim travelers to perform wudu, a ritual washing performed before prayer.
DFW ultimately canceled the proposed project after accelerating an internal review amid growing public and political attention. The airport said the decision was based on the project’s operational benefits rather than a determination that the facilities violated the law.
The proposal had initially been reported as a roughly $300,000 privately funded project. DFW later clarified that the project would have cost approximately $120,000 and would have been funded through airport revenue.
The airport already has ablution facilities in another part of the terminal complex. Similar facilities have also been installed at other major airports around the country to accommodate travelers who practice Islam.
Abbott, however, argued that government-owned airports should not provide accommodations that he believes favor one religion over another.
“These ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion,” Abbott said in his Aug. 14 letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “That is illegal.”
He also argued that the state and federal constitutions prohibit government from facilitating religious discrimination and said airports accepting government grants must certify that they comply with applicable nondiscrimination laws.
The governor’s review extends beyond DFW. Abbott also singled out Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, which already has an ablution facility and an interconnecting prayer room. His office said the review will examine religious facilities and accommodations at both airports.
The issue quickly became a national political controversy. News reports noted that Abbott’s intervention came after the proposed DFW facilities drew criticism online and from conservative activists. The cancellation followed Abbott’s threat to review state funding and his request for federal scrutiny.
Abbott’s position is that taxpayer-funded government facilities must remain religiously neutral. His administration said the state will continue examining whether airport facilities comply with state and federal laws prohibiting religious discrimination.
DFW’s decision means the newly proposed Terminal D facilities will not move forward. However, the existing facilities at DFW and IAH remain part of the broader review requested by Abbott.
The governor said the state would not allow what he described as illegal religious discrimination at taxpayer-funded facilities, while the airport’s explanation for canceling the project focused on operational considerations.
The dispute now moves beyond the canceled DFW project, with federal officials expected to review Abbott’s concerns regarding the facilities at DFW and IAH and the airports’ compliance with applicable nondiscrimination requirements.
