Stephen Colbert on Phoenix high school robotics team

The first question from host Stephen Colbert was whether the underwater robot built by a group of Phoenix high school Mexican immigrants for a competition had more nefarious ends.

"So the underwater robot was to smuggle more children across the Rio Grande?" Colbert asked Mary Mazzio, director of the documentary "Underwater Dreams." Joining her as a guest Wednesday night was Oscar Vazquez, who was part of the 2004 Carl Hayden High School robotics team that is the subject of the documentary.

Colbert, who hosts the show from his New York studio in character as a buffoonish, egotistical patriot, listened as Mazzio described how the four high school students won the competition, beating out colleges, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He then feigned ignorance of the aftermath. "I assume you guys got scholarships, went to college," Colbert said to Vazquez, "because we do need engineers."

Vazquez told of how only two of the four members went to Arizona State University, and of the state law that required undocumented students to pay dramatically higher out-of-state tuition. Vazquez then talked about how he moved back to Mexico after graduating with an engineering degree because he had no way to get a job in the United States.

"You self-deported?" Colbert said. "So Mitt Romney was right." Colbert was referring to Romney's contention during his 2012 Presidential run that immigrants would go back to their home countries if they could not find work.

Vazquez told Colbert how Sen. Dick Durbin, of Chicago, upon hearing of his case, intervened and got Vazquez a visa. And how he then joined the Army, became a citizen and served as a paratrooper in Afghanistan. The audience applauded at that point.

Colbert asked Mazzio, "What's the message here? Because I'm feeling a message."

Mazzio asked Colbert what message he was feeling.

Colbert spoke slowly and measured, saying, "I'm feeling immigrants that we may not necessarily want in the country have something to…"

Here, Mazzio tried to help him finish his thought.

Colbert snapped. "Don't interrupt me," he said, with a smile as the audience laughed. "Now, I think the message is 'Secure our borders.'"

Mazzio said the appearance was unexpected for a small documentary. "You can never plan on being on Stephen Colbert."

The film has screened at film festivals and at the Clinton Global Initiative, hosted by Chelsea Clinton. A truncated version aired on MSNBC and Telemundo earlier this month. It had its theatrical release this month and has received glowing reviews.

The film opened last Friday at the AMC Arizona Center 24 and is being held over for an additional week.

Mazzio said she hopes the film inspires change. "The right and the left are coming together around this film," Mazzio said. "That's what's most exciting. That's where real dialogue can begin."