Governor Greg Abbott demanded Friday that government-owned airports cannot favor one religion, leading Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to abruptly cancel plans for two additional Islamic ablution stations.

The decision followed Abbott’s directive on August 14 to review state grants at DFW and Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport and refer both to the U.S. Department of Transportation. A July 31 state filing initially listed the project cost at $300,000 as private funding but DFW later revised it to an estimated $120,000, claiming airport revenue would cover expenses.

The proposed stations were intended for pre-security areas of Terminal D, where travelers could access them before security checkpoints. DFW already operates one ritual foot-washing facility near its interfaith chapel since 2019.

Abbott stated: “Government-owned airports cannot favor one religion over all others. DFW plans to install Islamic wudu washing facilities are illegal.”

The airport confirmed the cancellation of two additional stations without dismantling the existing facility after State Senator Tan Parker set an August 27 deadline for DFW’s response. This reversal occurred hours after Abbott’s intervention, halting a proposal that had moved through administrative channels but was quickly abandoned under political scrutiny.