AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered a review of all state grants to entities that operate airports over what he says is “illegal religious discrimination.”
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport were specifically named in the governor’s announcement.
In the announcement, the governor’s office said DFW airport plans to install ablution facilities for Islamic washing rituals and that IAH has already installed one such facility and an interconnecting prayer room.
Abbott also requested that the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration review the religious facilities and accommodations at DFW and IAH and take appropriate corrective actions.
“These ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion. That is illegal,” said Governor Abbott. “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.”
The review could lead to the revocation of state grant funds and/or the denial of any future grant money.
KPRC 2 has reached out to the Houston Airport System for a statement.
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