Asked about student aid for illegal aliens, president cites 'anti-immigrant sentiment' out there [video]

Brett T. | 7:21 PM on September 14, 2015

Today in Des Moines, Iowa, President Obama briefly turned his laser-like focus back to education by accompanying Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on his annual back-to-school bus tour, speaking at a town hall on college access and affordability.

Taking questions from the audience of high school juniors and seniors, President Obama said he had saved one question for last — not surprisingly, a question about student aid for illegal aliens. The president just so happened to have a rant prepared in which he shamed the GOP for all of the “anti-immigrant sentiment” out there and noting that if you’re not Native American, your ancestors came from somewhere else.

.@POTUS closes by calling anti-immigrant sentiment "un-American. I think that is wrong. And I think that we should do better.”

— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) September 14, 2015

.@POTUS: Anti-immigration sentiment right now is contrary to who we are. Bc unless ur Native American, your family came from someplace else.

— Lauren S. Camera (@laurenonthehill) September 14, 2015

.@POTUS: "Don't pretend that somehow 100 years ago the immigration process was all smooth and strict."

— Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) September 14, 2015

“This whole anti-immigrant sentiment is contrary to who we are," says Pres in response to student question about aid for undocumented kids.

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) September 14, 2015

@markknoller Obama is wrong, thoughtful Americans are opposed to 'ILLEGAL' alien #immigrants. We welcome those that come legally.

— Scott (@retiredfirecapt) September 14, 2015