Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has asked the Justice Department to investigate what he described as "discriminatory" religious facilities at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston.
In a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche, Abbott stated that the ablution stations, designed for Islamic ritual washing before prayer, single out one religious group for special treatment. He argued that government-owned airports should not favor any particular religion.
"These ablution stations single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion," Abbott said in a statement. "They are not interfaith chapels open to all. They exist to benefit the Muslim population alone. Government-owned airports cannot favor one religion over all others."
Abbott directed the state to review grants for both airports for potential revocation and denial of future funding. He previously referred the matter to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The governor noted that the washing facilities at IAH are furnished with "copies of the Quran, prayer rugs, prayer beads and a turbah." He added that both airports are subject to federal funding conditions, including compliance with laws prohibiting discrimination and protecting the rights of all Americans.
"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 wrote. "Airports can no more offer Muslim-only bathroom spaces than they can maintain white-only bathrooms. Your office has the authority to investigate and put a stop to these discriminatory practices."
DFW Airport had been evaluating a proposal to add ablution washing stations in Terminal D, which was privately funded with an estimated cost of $300,000. However, airport officials later decided not to proceed with the plan. Despite this, Abbott stated that two such stations have already been discovered in operation at DFW.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire defended the presence of the washing station at IAH, stating it was in response to requests from passengers using the Mickey Leland International Terminal, which serves a significant number of international travelers. He indicated that the facility allows Muslim travelers, and others whose religions require ritual washing before prayer, to do so in a designated space, leading into a prayer room.
Whitmire explained that before the dedicated station, travelers often used restroom sinks and other public facilities for personal washing. He also noted that the ablution room is adjacent to interfaith chapels and is open to travelers of all faiths, asserting that its operation does not involve discriminatory actions.
"The ablution room allows Muslim travelers, as well as other travelers whose religion requires ritual washing prior to prayer, to do so in this facility," Whitmire said. "The ablution room leads into a prayer room."