WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Cory Booker said he was "seething with anger" over President Donald Trump's remarks on immigration, berating Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen for "convenient amnesia."
Booker, D-N.J., used his maiden hearing as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee to criticize Trump's description of Haiti and some African nations as "shithole countries" during a meeting with members of Congress that Nielsen attended.
"I had tears of rage," Booker said after Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois recounted Trump's words to him.
During the committee hearing, Nielsen told U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., that she "did not hear that word used."
Murphy offended by Trump remarks
When it was his turn to speak, Booker said he was outraged that Trump would make such comments, and angrier that Nielsen didn't speak up against those comments at the meeting.
"I've been in the Oval Office many times," Booker said. "When the commander-in- chief speaks, I listen. I don't have amnesia on conversations I had in the Oval Office going back months and months and months."
"Why I am, frankly, seething with anger?" he said.
When ignorance and bigotry are allied with power, it's a dangerous force in our country.
To not stand up to this; to be silent-- is to be a part of the problem. pic.twitter.com/Gtx65dxTIF
-- Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 16, 2018
During the Oval Office meeting, Trump reportedly praised Norway even as he attacking majority black nations.
"When Oval Office rhetoric sounds like social engineering, we know from human history the dangers of that," Booker said. "Our greatest heroes in this country spoke out against people who have convenient amnesia or are bystanders."
He then went after Nielsen for testifying earlier that Trump talked about admitting Norwegian immigrants because "the people of Norway work very hard."
Nielsen interrupted to deny the context of the quote.
"Excuse me," Booker said. "Let me finish."
"I am happy to," she said.
In finishing, Booker said such talk -- combined with the president saying that there were "very fine people" marching with the white supremacists and neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August -- only emboldened bigots and racists, including those who have delivered death threats against him.
A Government Accountability Office report released last year said 73 percent of the 85 fatal attacks by violent extremists since 9/11 were committed by right-wing groups.
"When ignorance and bigotry is allied with power, it is a dangerous force in our country," Booker said. "I've got a president of the United States, whose office I respect, who talks about the countries of origins of my fellow citizens in the most despicable of manner. If you cant remember the words of my commander in chief, I find that unacceptable."
Nielsen said she abhors violence in all forms and would go after white supremacists as well as other groups threatening the U.S.
"I share your passion," she said. "It's unacceptable. It can't be tolerated in the United States."
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.