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This week, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport had to back down on plans to build Islamic foot-washing stations, also known as ablution or wudu stations, in restrooms in Terminal D, following Texas Governor Greg Abbott's comments regarding the airport's law-breaking activities. Abbott said state funding may be diverted as these activities were in contravention of the law, and he instructed a state review on all funding currently going to the DFW Airport, and referred the DFW Airport to the U.S. Department of Transportation for review and investigations.
Abbott said that building separate washing facilities for particular religions on a publicly funded airport is an illegal act of religiously discriminating against the citizens of the state, and he also warned other airports in the state that may build such facilities, including Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, that they are also in violation of the law.
In a statement, DFW Airport said the review of the project determined that the construction "would not provide the operational benefits originally anticipated." This is a euphemism for Governor Abbott's actions made it too cost-prohibitive to pursue the project. The airport stated that it already has ablution facilities in the Terminal D interfaith prayer room, which is used by all faiths, and is not a single religious restroom in the public restrooms.
The proposed project, of which plans were filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, would provide for the construction of wudu washing facilities in the men's and women's restrooms of Terminal D. Such installations are in use at both Chicago O'Hare and Houston Bush Intercontinental Airports.
When it comes to the main legal issue, this is pretty simple. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment means tax money can't be used to help one religion over the rest. Islamic prayer stations help fulfill religious obligations when Muslims use financing from state money. Abbott did the right thing.
What's interesting is how quickly the airport backtracked when a real law enforcement governor got involved. This isn't about treating Muslims poorly. The chapel is still there. This is how an airport administration got caught allowing a religious accommodation through paperwork and thought they could get away with doing something like this.
Funding of DFW Airport from state and federal funds means tax money can't be spent for prayer stations for one religion's prayer. The governor's office saw this. The airport caved.
This isn't a new phenomenon. State-funded administrators of state-funded institutions create Islam-centric religious accommodations in quiet fashion. Universities, school districts, airports — the double standard is prevalent and mostly ignored. Abbott challenged it. The airport blinked.
Governors of other states and airport managers should take note.
