Democratic presidential candidate 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 on Wednesday slammed presumptive GOP nominee Donald 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 for amplifying racism in the country.

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"Because of the rise of Trumpism, if you like, suddenly a lot of the racism that had been kind of pushed down is now popping up again," Sanders said at a forum with Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders in California Wednesday.

Sanders said the country has a history of dealing with racism and continued to criticize Trump for the role he's played in intensifying the issue.

"I have talked to Muslims who tell me that their children are now afraid to walk the streets and people are fearful" for their lives, Sanders said. "This cannot and must not be allowed to go on in the United States of America."

Trump has faced backlash for calling for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country and for his proposal to build a wall along the Mexican border.

Some Democratic leaders have called the presumptive GOP nominee racist, and many have condemned his rhetoric.