Citizens United head's mother-in-law calls immigrants 'rats and roaches' during GOP event

A woman identified as the mother-in-law of Citizens United Foundation head Dave Bossie was cheered for disparaging remarks about immigrants during the South Carolina Freedom Summit on Saturday, the Huffington Post reported.

The woman was asked to speak during a focus group conducted by Republican pollster Frank Luntz. Footage of the event shows Luntz joking that Bossie told him he would "kick [his] butt" if he ended the session without asking her what advice she would give GOP presidential candidates in the 2016 election.

"One man, one vote. People are comin' in this country across the borders like rats and roaches in the wood pile," she says, drawing applause. "We've got a state like Minnesota that says it's not our business to check 'em out, we just register 'em. We've got to get control. That's what they need to know."

Luntz then reaches for the microphone, only to be rebuffed by the woman as she continues.

"Years ago, I might have been a Democrat," she says. "But I saw the problem and I went to the Republican Party. I didn't wait for them to come looking for me. Why do these young people have to be solicited? We are all intelligent people. We need to be voting our convictions and choose a party."

The audience cheers again when Luntz asks, "How many of you would vote for her for president?"

The woman was apparently referring to a Minnesota bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers' licenses. She did not mention that, as MinnPost reported earlier this year, the proposal has been amended to add the phrase "For driving only" to these types of licenses, making it clear that they could not be used to vote.

According to the National Immigration Law Center, 10 states allow undocumented immigrants to apply for drivers' licenses.

Luntz drew boos during the same event, which attracted many prospective GOP contenders, for an inappropriate joke about Bruce Jenner.

Bossie's group was victorious in a heavily-criticized 2010 Supreme Court decision that paved the way for increased amount of campaign spending.

Watch Luntz's interview, as posted by C-SPAN, below.

[h/t Crooks and Liars]