Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 Biden's fiscal program: What is the likely market impact? McConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security MORE (I-Vt.) called on Republican lawmakers to push back against the "racist ramblings" of President Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE the day after the president reportedly referred to Haiti, El Salvador and some African nations as "shithole countries" in an Oval Office meeting.

"Republicans in Congress must now summon the courage to stand up to the racist ramblings of our 'stable genius' president," Sanders wrote on Twitter Friday, referencing a tweet in which Trump called himself a "very stable genius."

Republicans in Congress must now summon the courage to stand up to the racist ramblings of our "stable genius" president. — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 12, 2018

Democratic and Republican senators must continue efforts to produce a bi-partisan Dream Act that can be voted upon by the Senate as part of the overall budget deal. — Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 12, 2018

The tweet came a day after reports surfaced that Trump demanded in a meeting on immigration reform with lawmakers to know why the U.S. admits immigrants from "shithole countries."

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In that meeting, Trump also reportedly suggested encouraging more immigration from countries like Norway, whose prime minister visited the White House the day before.

The remark drew swift and sharp backlash from lawmakers, who accused Trump of racism.

The meeting between Trump and a small group of lawmakers on Thursday came as Congress founders in its efforts to pass a measure enshrining the protections of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program into law.

That program, which the Trump administration rescinded in September, offered undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children a temporary reprieve from deportation and permission to work.

Trump and some GOP lawmakers rejected a proposal by a bipartisan group of senators on Thursday that sought to address such protections and increase border security. The White House has insisted that any such proposal must include funding for Trump's long-promised wall along the southern border.