Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday directed a review of state grants allocated to entities managing two prominent Texas airports, citing concerns over religious accommodations. This action followed an announcement from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) that it would no longer pursue a proposal to install Islamic washing stations.
Governor Abbott indicated that the state would scrutinize grants for DFW and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to determine if funding should be revoked or if future allocations should be denied. He also escalated the matter by referring both airports to the U.S. Department of Transportation for a full investigation.
Governor Abbott's Directive
"Government-owned airports cannot favor one religion over all others," Governor Abbott stated on X on Friday. He asserted that DFW's plans for Islamic "wudu" washing facilities were unlawful. "I've directed a review of all state grants to both airports for possible revocation, and referred DFW & IAH to USDOT for investigation," he added, emphasizing, "Texas will not allow illegal religious discrimination at taxpayer-funded facilities."
DFW's Canceled Project and Explanation
DFW Airport clarified its position, stating it had been evaluating an internal proposal for a series of ablution washing stations. These facilities were intended for the pre-security area of Terminal D, which serves international flights. The airport explained that, like all potential projects, it assessed operational benefits, customer service impacts, risks, and costs before granting approval.
"While that evaluation was planned, the airport accelerated its review due to elevated public interest this week and has determined not to proceed with the project as it would not deliver the originally anticipated operational benefits," DFW stated.
The project was initially registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation on July 31. The filing originally described the project as privately funded, estimated its cost at $300,000, and projected completion by the close of the year.
DFW had previously clarified that these specifics were the result of administrative errors made by an external design firm collaborating with the airport, and emphasized that the project had not yet received final approval.
The airport further explained that the design firm incorrectly marked the project as "privately funded" when submitting the regulatory documentation.
"That was an error, and it should have indicated that airport funds would be used to pay for the work like all our projects," DFW affirmed.
Funding and Broader Scrutiny
DFW Airport also highlighted that its operations are not reliant on taxpayer dollars, instead generating revenue through various streams such as parking fees and concession sales.
Governor Abbott's office noted on Friday that George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston already provides an ablution station alongside an adjacent prayer room.
In a formal letter addressed to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Governor Abbott requested that both the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration conduct a thorough review of religious facilities and accommodations present at DFW and IAH.
"These ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion. That is illegal," Governor Abbott asserted in his letter. He continued, "Both airports are government-owned facilities. The federal and state constitutions prohibit government from facilitating this sort of discrimination. Just as the government cannot favor the secular over the sacred, it also cannot favor one religious view over all others."
Governor Abbott's office reiterated that all recipients of state grants are required to certify their adherence to laws that prohibit discrimination.