Donald Trump promised Thursday that deporting criminal illegal aliens would be the first order of business on his first day in the White House if he is elected president in November.

"We are going to run a country like it's supposed to be run," Trump told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "We are going to find people and we're getting immediately, and I mean the first hour of my — the first document I will sign will say get the bad ones out of this country, bring them back where they came from."

The Republican nominee lashed back at Cooper for asking about his Wednesday remarks that he was "softening" his immigration stances. Instead, Trump said he had been told his comments on Fox News sounded more like a "hardening," but did not confirm others' perceptions.

Cooper questioned Trump's determination to deport criminal offenders in the U.S. illegally, adding the billionaire businessman's immigration views seemed in line with former GOP candidate Jeb Bush.

"I don't know anything about Jeb Bush. He wasn't building a wall. Jeb Bush wasn't making strong borders and I'm not knocking Jeb Bush, but I was with him for a long time," Trump said.

Trump doubled down on his intentions to deport 11 million illegal aliens, adding that that number is only an estimate and could range from 5 million to 30 million, but either way, his administration would track people and remove them for their legal violations.

There will be no immediate path to legalization for those who entered the country without legal permission, but some will be allowed to apply for re-entry after being removed.

Trump explained while many have discussed his plans on how to handle the millions of people illegally in the country, his main focus is securing the country.