Elizabeth Hawkins is beginning her fellowship in El Salvador as a Critchfield fellow, studying the push factors that lead so many to emigrate and seek asylum in the United States, with a focus on women who have experienced gender-based violence. She will document the impact of changing US immigration policy on the lives of Salvadorans and connect with human rights advocates and others who are working to improve conditions for women and their families. After graduating from the University of Washington School of Law in 2010, Elizabeth founded a humanitarian immigration law practice in Seattle. She has represented hundreds of individuals and families as they navigate the US legal system, with an emphasis on advocating for those who have been subjected to abuse. She will now begin a more in-depth exploration of why so many Salvadorans seek asylum in the United States.
