Indian-origin US Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal has demanded compensation for undocumented immigrants, saying families have been “traumatized” by immigration enforcement under US President Donald Trump.Speaking at a congressional hearing titled “Abductions and Disappearances: Trump’s Attack on Children”, Jayapal said there could be a need for compensation for those affected by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Jayapal said at the conclusion of the hearing, “We have to make reparations in some way or the other for the children and families who have been traumatized by all this.”Jayapal is a Democrat from Washington state who was born in India and became a US citizen in 2000. She has been a vocal critic of Trump’s immigration policies. During his presidency, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched a series of enforcement campaigns aimed at identifying and deporting undocumented immigrants across the country.She argued that those operations caused harm. “We need aggressive action around prosecution. We need real accountability because at the end of the day, the people who are causing this harm need to be prosecuted,” Jayapal said. He added, “They need to be brought before us and held accountable for the trauma they have caused.”The proposal remains comprehensive. Jayapal did not say how such compensation would be funded or how eligibility would be determined. He suggested that the payments could be used to provide “assistance” to individuals who did not receive relief after encounters with immigration officials.The issue comes amid heightened political tensions over immigration enforcement. The federal crackdown has at times led to clashes between authorities and pro-immigration protesters. In Minnesota, two people, Renee Good and Alex Pretty, were killed in incidents involving such collisions.Jayapal serves as the Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement. She said she would advance her proposal if Democrats gain control of the House. “If I chair the immigration subcommittee, we will work on all of these issues,” she said.He also linked his stance to his opposition to the recent stopgap funding bill for DHS. “I have been clear from the beginning of the appropriations process; I will not vote to give another cent to Trump’s ICE or CBP without major reforms,” she said in a statement. He said: “ICE and CBP agents have killed American citizens on the streets, terrorized communities, and forever traumatized families and children. Republicans in the House and Senate continue to refuse to enact any meaningful reforms – it appears they want ICE and CBP to continue their lawless reign of terror against American families and communities.”The bill, which passed the House by a narrow margin, provides for funding of the department for 60 days, but it faces uncertainty in the Senate, where Democrats are pushing for tighter oversight and reforms of immigration enforcement agencies.