Texas Governor Greg Abbott has asked the US Department of Justice to investigate Muslim prayer and washing facilities at two major airports. He referred Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston for review on Friday.
Abbott claims the ablution stations, used for the Islamic ritual of wudu before prayer, give special treatment to one religion. He said they are not open interfaith chapels and exist mainly for Muslim travellers. Both airports are government-owned and receive public and federal funds.
At Dallas-Fort Worth, two washing stations are already in use. The airport recently dropped plans to add more after Abbott first raised concerns and asked the Department of Transportation to look into the matter. Houston’s airport has one washing facility linked to a prayer room that contains copies of the Quran, prayer rugs, prayer beads and a turbah.
Abbott argued that airports cannot favour one faith over others and compared the spaces to outdated “white-only” bathrooms. He is also reviewing state grants that could be revoked if violations are found.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has rejected the claims. They say the stations are open to anyone and help prevent safety problems when people wash their feet in regular sinks. Houston’s mayor noted the facilities were paid for by airline fees, not taxpayer money.
