OKLAHOMA CITY (VINnews) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has told President Donald Trump that his state would “proudly welcome” Jewish families who lawfully come to the United States seeking safety and opportunity, citing a surge in antisemitism that he said is especially disturbing in Canada.

In a July 22 letter to Trump, Stitt wrote that reports of increasing violence, intimidation and discrimination against Jewish communities since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel were “deeply troubling.”

“It is especially disturbing to see such ugly hostility in western nations that otherwise hold themselves out as bastions of tolerance and civility, such as Canada,” Stitt wrote. “No one should be forced to live in fear because of their faith.”

The governor said Oklahoma has a “strong and vibrant Jewish community, especially in Tulsa,” that has contributed to the state since before statehood and is prepared to receive new neighbors.

“Should Jewish families lawfully come to the United States in search of safety and opportunity, I want you to know that Oklahoma would proudly welcome those who choose to make our state their home,” the letter said.

Stitt thanked Trump for what he called “steadfast leadership in confronting antisemitism and defending religious liberty.” Copies of the letter were sent to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.

The letter has drawn renewed attention this week after Christian lawmakers and faith leaders urged the Trump administration to create a lawful, expedited pathway for Jewish Canadians who say they no longer feel safe. Advocates working with families have said more than 2,000 Jewish Canadians have expressed interest in relocating.

Jewish and Christian leaders in Tulsa have already offered to help receive families. Local groups, including Tulsa Tomorrow and the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, have run a relocation assistance program known as Lech L’Tulsa, offering matching relocation grants, exploratory visits and immigration-legal support for eligible Canadian households.

Canadian Jewish organizations have documented record levels of antisemitic incidents since Oct. 7, including harassment, vandalism, threats and attacks on schools, synagogues and businesses. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said more than two-thirds of religion-motivated hate crimes in Canada last year targeted Jews, who make up about 1% of the population.

Stitt’s letter does not create a new immigration category. Any move would still have to follow federal law. Trump recently amplified calls for an expedited legal pathway, and Oklahoma has been cited as one potential destination if such a process is created. Nebraska has also been mentioned as a possible partner, according to reports.

Oklahoma’s Jewish population remains small compared with coastal states, but Stitt has previously said the state’s emphasis on family, faith and entrepreneurship aligns with Jewish communal life and that antisemitic street intimidation common in some large cities “doesn’t happen in Oklahoma.”