CAIR slams Texas governor’s ‘anti-Muslim stunt’ on airport washing stations 

The Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned Texas Governor Greg Abbott for opposing stations for Islamic pre-prayer ablution, known as wudu, at two airports in the state.

The civil rights group accused Abbott on Monday of performing another “anti-Muslim political stunt” with his outrage over the facilities.

“Of all the silly controversies that [Abbott] has manufactured about Muslims over the past year, the airport washing station outrage might be the most ridiculous. And hypocritical,” CAIR said in a social media post.

Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) scrapped plans for wudu stations after Abbott threatened to revoke state funding for the transportation hub.

“Like all proposed projects, the airport ultimately considers the operational benefits, customer service impacts, operational risks and costs before approving them,” the airport said in a statement, as reported by several news outlets.

“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.”

Last week, Abbott ordered a review of DFW as well as at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, which already has wudu stations, “for possible revocation of active state grant funds”. He accused the airports of religious discrimination.

The Republican governor also referred the two airports to federal agencies for investigation.

“These ablution facilities appear designed to single out one subset of the population for special treatment based on religion. That is illegal,” Abbott said in a statement on Friday.

“Both airports are government-owned facilities. The federal and state constitutions prohibit government from facilitating this sort of discrimination. Just as the government cannot favour the secular over the sacred, it also cannot favour one religious view over all others.”

While the First Amendment of the US Constitution bans the government from adopting or favouring any religion, rights advocates say providing religious accommodations at publicly owned facilities does not violate the law.

CAIR noted that the wudu stations, consisting of sinks and faucets for washing feet, would be available for anyone to use.

“Washing stations already exist at various airports and anyone can use them. They are no different than the interfaith prayer rooms or toilet bidets found at airports around the world,” the group said.

“Muslim travellers may use them most often, but they are open to all.”

CAIR also noted that Abbott has signed a law forcing schools across the state to display the Ten Commandments from the Bible in classrooms.

Earlier this year, the Republican-controlled Texas State Board of Education also made Bible stories required reading for public schools.

“Instead of wasting taxpayer resources on this latest anti-Muslim political stunt, Governor Abbott should focus on the state’s real problems under his leadership, from harmful data centres to school shootings to economic inequality to the erosion of religious freedom,” CAIR said.

Last year, Abbott declared CAIR a “foreign terrorist” organisation – a decision that the civil rights group is challenging in the courts.

Abbott’s push against foot-washing stations at airports comes amid an increase in Islamophobic rhetoric, where politicians, including allies of President Donald Trump, continue to openly make anti-Muslim statements.

Last week, Trump shared a photo of Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed with his family, suggesting that the Michigan doctor should not be elected because his wife – a practising psychologist – wears the hijab.

In a hate crime in May, two gunmen killed three people at a mosque in San Diego.