“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.”
Governor Greg Abbott today referred discriminatory religious ablution facilities at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to the U.S. Department of Justice for investigation and enforcement.
“These ablution stations single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion,” said Governor Abbott. “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.”
In his letter, Governor Abbott called on the Department of Justice to immediately review these discriminatory facilities at DFW and IAH Airports and take appropriate corrective action. The federal government exercises primary authority over security and access within airport terminals. Because the airports receive federal funds, they are subject to numerous conditions attached to that funding—including the requirement to comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination and protecting the rights of all Americans.
Both airports are government-owned facilities. Last week, Governor Abbott referred these airports to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for investigation. After this referral, DFW abandoned its plans to install additional ablution facilities for Islamic wudu washing rituals. Two such stations are already in operation at DFW. Separately, IAH has already installed one such facility and an interconnecting prayer room furnished with “copies of the Quran, prayer rugs, prayer beads and a turbah.”
Read the Governor’s letter here.
