While Congress dallies on granting rights to an estimated 11 million immigrants who live in the United States without documentation, Washington state has a bigger problem. Bob Baker and Protect Washington Now, which are gathering signatures for an initiative that would deny public benefits to American citizens as well as immigrants.

If you’re concerned about either of these issues, or how government and law enforcement treat immigrants in general, now’s your chance. On June 21 at Town Hall, Seattle’s Hate Free Zone is holding a candidates’ forum devoted specifically to immigrant and refugee issues.

The forum is for both Seattle City Council and King County Prosecuting Attorney incumbents and challengers. Moderator Enrique Cerna, host of the KCTS-TV’s “KCTS Connects,” will ask the city candidates to state their positions on voting rights, law enforcement, and education. Prosecuting Attorney candidates will address hate-crime policies, cultural competency among office staff, and how their other campaign issues might affect immigrant and refugee communities.

A question-and-answer period with the audience will follow, with interpretation provided in Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Amharic and Somali. At press time, confirmed candidates for Prosecuting Attorney expected to attend included Keith Scully and Bill Sherman. Candidates in the city races are slated to include Councilmembers David Della, Jean Godden and Tom Rasmussen, along with challengers Tim Burgess, Bruce Harrell, John Manning, Al Runte, Joe Szwaja, and Venus Velazquez.

City Councilmember Sally Clark and acting King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg were not expected to attend. The forum runs 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave. (at Seneca St.) in Seattle. For more information or to submit questions for the candidates, call (206) 723-2203, ext. 201.