Whitmire counters Abbott's airport funding threat
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After Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to withhold grant funding for Dallas and Houston airports over religious washing facilities used by Muslim travelers, Mayor John Whitmire said Monday that the ablution room at George Bush Intercontinental Airport was built without city taxpayer dollars.
Why it matters: The airport dispute is the latest example of Abbott using the threat of withholding state funds to push Texas cities to change local policies and procedures.
- It comes as Texas Republicans have sought to restrict Muslim communities in Texas and civil rights groups.
Driving the news: Abbott sent a letter to the mayors of Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth on Friday saying his office was reviewing grant funding over the facilities at their airports, saying they "appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion. That is illegal."
- He also asked U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to refer the airports for federal investigations.
- Dallas Fort Worth International Airport canceled plans for an ablution facility after Abbott threatened to withhold state funding.
What they're saying: "The ablution room and adjoining prayer room are open to all travelers, employees and stakeholders with access to Terminal D, regardless of faith. Nobody receives preferential access, and nobody is excluded," Whitmire said in a statement.
Catch up quick: The IAH ablution and prayer room opened in 2024, among the first in the nation. Whitmire's office says it was created in response to passenger requests and gives travelers who practice ritual washing before prayer a designated space instead of using restroom sinks.
- It was paid for by fees charged to the international airlines, Whitmire says.
Zoom in: The Terminal D facility serves international travelers, including Muslim passengers flying airlines such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines, and includes a prayer room with a Quran.
- "The ablution room allows Muslim travelers, as well as other travelers whose religion requires ritual washing prior to prayer, to do so in this facility," Whitmire says.
The other side: Muslim civil rights group Council on American-Islamic Relations called Abbott's threat an "anti-Muslim political stunt" and said the washing stations are "universally accessible" amenities that can be used by travelers of any faith.