Texas Governor Greg Abbott is escalating the fight against what he calls discriminatory religious facilities at two of the state’s busiest airports.
After DFW Airport scrapped plans for more Islamic ablution stations under pressure, Abbott has referred both Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport to the U.S. Department of Justice, demanding investigation and corrective action over existing foot-washing stations and an adjoining prayer room.
“These ablution stations single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion,” Abbott said. “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.”
? JUST IN: TX Gov. Greg Abbott has referred Islamic foot washing stations at Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston Airports to the DOJ for INVESTIGATION and ENFORCEMENT
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 21, 2026
Abbott calls the wudu stations "DISCRIMINATORY"
“These ablution stations single out one subset of the population for… pic.twitter.com/YQAAtmEuWY
In his letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, Abbott noted that DFW has two such stations already operating and that IAH installed one facility plus an interconnecting prayer room stocked with copies of the Quran, prayer rugs, prayer beads, and a turbah.
He previously referred the airports to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, directed a review of state grants for possible revocation, and warned that if the facilities sit on city-owned property, Texas will pursue litigation for religious discrimination at taxpayer-funded sites.
“Airports can no more offer Muslim-only bathroom spaces than they can maintain white-only bathrooms,” Abbott wrote. DFW abandoned plans for additional stations in Terminal D after the initial threat. Airport officials said they accelerated review due to public attention and determined the anticipated benefits might not materialize.
?Here Are The Ritual Muslim Foot Washing Stations Inside the Dallas Ft. Worth Airport…
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 20, 2026
Yes, they are real, this is not fake news.
I’m at DFW right now and went to the interfaith chapel near Gate D40. Two massive showers greet you when you enter the small chapel. But they’re… pic.twitter.com/xkpXNaauOl
Houston Mayor John Whitmire defended the IAH facilities, saying they are open to all travelers regardless of faith and were funded by fees from international airlines rather than direct taxpayer grants.
Critics of Abbott’s move, including the Texas chapter of CAIR, called it an anti-Muslim political stunt. Abbott and Texas leaders frame the issue differently: government-owned airports receiving public and federal funds cannot create spaces designed around one faith’s ritual requirements while ignoring others.
This latest action fits a clear pattern of pushback against what many Texans see as the steady advance of parallel Islamic institutions and preferential accommodations across the state.
Residents in McKinney recently packed City Hall and voiced fierce opposition as the council approved a major expansion for the McKinney Islamic Association. The 5.5-acre site plan includes a large sanctuary, classroom building, and gym.
More than 150 speakers signed up for the marathon session that stretched past midnight. An Iranian Christian refugee told the council, “I’m a Sharia law survivor from Iran, and I’m here to tell you, this is a dangerous ideology you’re allowing in the country.”
U.S. Rep. Keith Self warned of risks including child marriage and honor killings under political Islam, stating the freedom to choose one’s faith “does not exist in political Islam.” The council still voted 7-0 to approve after staff confirmed the plan met zoning rules.
Public schools have also drawn outrage. Students from Humble ISD’s Kingwood High School and Atascocita High School were bused to Centro Islamico, operated by IslamInSpanish in the Houston area, so they could “experience Islam.”
The visit included a tour, halal lunch, observation of prayer, and presentations. Parents and online commentators noted the absence of similar taxpayer-funded trips to churches or other houses of worship, calling the episode one-sided indoctrination.
Congressman Keith Self has repeatedly highlighted existing Muslim-only enclaves operating as parallel societies. He pointed to the East Plano Islamic Center, which has functioned for years adjacent to police facilities, and a similar pattern in Irving.
“Sharia is alive, well, and operating in Plano, Texas,” Self said. “This is not a hypothetical or future threat. It is here, now and operational.”
He described these as de facto Sharia enclaves situated next to the law enforcement facilities meant to protect communities, calling the proximity a form of intimidation.
Texas authorities have also moved against unauthorized institutions. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, at Abbott’s direction, issued a cease-and-desist order to Texas American Muslim University (TexAM) in the Dallas area.
The school was operating without required state approval, marketing degree programs that included mandatory Islamic studies courses, and using the term “university” illegally.
Abbott stated Texas will not allow illegal educational institutions to operate and that legal action would follow noncompliance.
Taxpayer-funded venues have faced similar scrutiny. Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark in Grand Prairie, built with public sales tax money, advertised a private Eid event initially promoted as “Muslim only,” complete with modest dress codes, halal options, and a prayer room.
After backlash the language was softened, but the episode reinforced concerns that public facilities were being reserved for exclusive religious use.
Taken together, the airport ablution stations, school field trips, city council approvals, unauthorized schools, exclusive events, and residential developments form a consistent picture.
Abbott’s referral of the airports to the DOJ is the latest concrete step to enforce the principle that government facilities and public money cannot favor one religion. Texas under Abbott continues to treat equal application of the law as non-negotiable, rejecting special privileges that create two-tier systems on public property.
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