Abbott stops DFW airport plan for Islamic foot-washing stations, but the airport already has them

By Robert Spencer | August 15, 2026

DFW Airport gate C35 by Sammi Brie, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

Will Abbott order that the foot-washing stations that are already in DFW airport be dismantled? No, of course he won’t. Also, there is a practical aspect to this: many non-Muslims favor the foot-washing stations even though they oppose special privileges and accommodations for Islamic practices. This is because in the absence of foot-washing stations, some Muslims wash their feet in the sinks. Some people would prefer the accommodation to that. So the larger problem remains: To what extent will the U.S. allow Sharia here? At what point, if any, will anyone call an effective halt to the advance of Sharia, or will the U.S. simply eventually become a Sharia state?

“DFW Airport scraps controversial Islamic foot-washing station plan as Texas Gov Abbott takes aim,” by Brittany Miller, Fox News, August 14, 2026:

FIRST ON FOX: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday directed a review of state grants to entities operating two major Texas airports over religious accommodations after Dallas Fort Worth International Airport said it would no longer move forward with a proposal to install Islamic washing stations.

Abbott said the state will review grants to entities operating DFW and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston for possible revocation and denial of future funding. He also referred both airports to the U.S. Department of Transportation for investigation.

“Government-owned airports cannot favor one religion over all others,” Abbott wrote on X Friday. “DFW plans to install Islamic wudu washing facilities are illegal. I’ve directed a review of all state grants to both airports for possible revocation, and referred DFW & IAH to USDOT for investigation.

“Texas will not allow illegal religious discrimination at taxpayer-funded facilities.”

DFW told Fox News Digital Friday it had been evaluating a proposal to add ablution washing stations on the pre-security side of Terminal D, its international terminal, but accelerated that review in response to increased public attention.

“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,” the airport said.

“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.”…