Major Airport Scraps Plan To Install Islamic Foot-Washing Stations After Intense Backlash

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is scrapping plans to install a number of Islamic foot-washing stations after intense backlash, which included statements from Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

The project involved adding one station to an existing men’s restroom and one to an existing women’s restroom on the pre-security concourse level of Terminal D, the airport’s primary international terminal. According to a July 31 filing, the project was expected to extend approximately 170 square feet and was designed by Ghafari Associates.

The initial filing listed an estimated cost of $300,000 and indicated private funding, with a projected start date of August 31, 2026, and completion by December 31.

Airport officials later stated that these details contained errors. The cost estimate represented a preliminary high figure, with an expected actual cost closer to $115,000–$120,000. Funding was to come from airport-generated revenues such as parking, concessions, and airline fees rather than direct taxpayer allocations for operations. The project remained in the evaluation phase and had not received final approval.

Airport representatives indicated that the proposal aimed to support safe and sanitary access for customers and to accommodate growing operations. Officials noted that Muslim travelers sometimes used standard restroom sinks for foot washing, which could lead to wet floors and related maintenance or safety considerations.

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Dear Republicans,

Do not fall for the propaganda claiming there are no wudu stations already in Dallas or Houston airports.

That is simply untrue.

DFW Airport has had fully functional ablution (wudu) stations in its Terminal D interfaith chapel since 2019.

Houston’s Bush… https://t.co/6z2hv9xEl5 pic.twitter.com/Nl52PZpFhf

— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) August 15, 2026

DFW already maintained ablution stations in the Terminal D interfaith chapel near Gate D40. These had been in place since a 2019 relocation and renovation of the chapel, which also included space for religious texts and related amenities. Similar facilities exist at other major U.S. airports, including George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, which added an ablution area connected to a prayer room in 2024, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

Public attention was drawn to the project in mid-August, which led Governor Abbott to direct a review of state grants provided to entities operating DFW and Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. He also referred both airports to the U.S. Department of Transportation for investigation.

Abbott issued letters to DFW Chief Executive Officer Christopher McLaughlin, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and the mayors of Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston. In the correspondence, he stated that the facilities appeared designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion, that both airports are government-owned, and that federal and state constitutions prohibit government facilitation of such discrimination.

On Friday afternoon, DFW announced that it would not proceed with the proposed stations. A spokesperson stated that the airport had been evaluating an internal proposal to add a set of ablution washing stations on the pre-security side of Terminal D. The evaluation considered operational benefits, customer service impacts, operational risks, and costs. Due to elevated public interest that week, the airport accelerated its review and determined that the project would not deliver the originally anticipated operational benefits.

As of the announcement, the airport indicated no plans to alter the existing ablution stations in the Terminal D interfaith chapel. The state regulatory filing continued to list the project as registered, though airport statements confirmed the decision not to move forward. The review of state grants and the referral to the U.S. Department of Transportation remained in place as of Friday evening.

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