Racial profiling, student visas and freedom of speech were among the topics 22nd District Representative Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) discussed with an overflow audience at the Graduate Student Association meeting Tuesday night.

Capps said foreign students were important to America’s diversity and progress, and their rights needed to be respected as security measures increase.

“We need to protect the rights of international students coming to study here because the exchange of ideas and cultures that they bring is the antidote to the horrible things that have happened,” Capps said. “However, there have been people coming in and misusing their student visas, and some have said our security measures concerning these visas was too lax.”

Graduate students in attendance expressed concerns about racial profiling when traveling.