Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in Texas has scrapped plans to install Islamic foot-washing stations as Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has ordered an investigation into the matter.
DFW told Fox News on Friday it had been reviewing a proposal for the project but accelerated that review after news of the plans broke, drawing much criticism.
The airport’s statement read:
DFW was in the process of evaluating an internal proposal to add a set of ablution washing stations on the pre-security side of Terminal D, the international terminal. Like all proposed projects, the airport ultimately considers the operational benefits, customer service impacts, operational risks, and costs before approving them.
While that evaluation was planned, the airport accelerated its review due to elevated public interest this week and has determined not to proceed with the project as it would not deliver the originally anticipated operational benefits.
Abbott ordered a review of state funding for Texas airports in light of the news regarding Islamic washing facilities at DFW and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Breitbart News reported Friday.
The outlet said DFW had planned to “install separate foot-washing stations for men and women to perform wudu, the Islamic ritual washing before prayer. The project was initially listed as privately funded, with an estimated cost of $300,000 and an August 31 start date.”
Per the Fox article, the DFW project’s filing initially listed it as being privately funded.
“DFW previously said those details resulted from administrative errors by the airport’s outside design firm and stressed that the project had not received final approval,” the report stated, noting the $300,000 estimate was high.
DFW claimed the design firm mistakenly chose “privately funded” in the regulatory filing but it was an “error” that should have shown airport funds would be used for the project.
“DFW said it does not use taxpayer dollars for airport operations and instead relies on revenue streams, including parking and concessions,” the Fox article noted.
Abbott has asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to investigate DFW and IAH for possible religious discrimination.
“Government-owned airports cannot favor one religion over all others,” Abbott wrote in a social media post:
President Donald Trump on Friday touted the Fox article in a post on Truth Social:
Per the Breitbart News article, “IAH already has an ablution facility connected to a prayer room.”
