'Common sense': Red state governor makes crucial move to boost Trump's deportation push

Stitt announced that he is directing the state's commissioner of public safety to lead the effort to expel inmates in Oklahoma prisons who are in the country illegally, by creating a plan to deal with them. That plan will be delivered by January, and the state says it will consult with the Trump transition team and incoming administration to implement it.

Stitt downplayed the complexity of the effort, saying it was "common sense and restoring Oklahoma to the rule of law," while speaking to Fox News Digital.

"So these are people that are here illegally, that have committed crimes, and we want to make sure that they're not burdensome to the taxpayers of the state of Oklahoma," he said.

Stitt said he is surprised by the opposition from some Democrats, given the focus is on removing criminals from the country.

"What's amazing to me is you have some Democrat governors that are now talking about not supporting President Trump, and I don't think they learned anything from the election, that the American people want safe communities, and we want to have strong borders," he said.

"When you think about someone that's here illegally, that's breaking the law, that's pushing fentanyl, or they have been convicted of rape or burglary, and they're not U.S. citizens, and they're here illegally. I don't know who could argue with me on 'We want to make sure that those people are out of our country and not allowed to return,'" he said.

Stitt stressed that he isn't against immigration more broadly.

"If you're at the University of Oklahoma on a education visa, we certainly want to be able to convert that to a workforce visa if we have an employer that needs that job, and if you want to chase the American dream, if you want to be part of paying taxes, part of our society, then we absolutely want to work that angle as well," he said.

He said there is now optimism in the U.S., and he believes there is enthusiasm about the prospect of being able to make communities safer across the U.S.

"I think the American people have spoken loud and clear with Trump's victory that they believe in safe communities. And so I think it's, I think it's just the right thing to do, and I'm excited about some of the Cabinet picks that President Trump has put in place, and it's going to be, it's going to be a fresh day for America," he said.