Chinese students at Harvard were seeking legal advice on staying in the United States after U.S. President Donald Trump's administration blocked the famed university from enrolling foreign students, a move slammed by the government in Beijing.

Harvard sued and asked for a restraining order less than 24 hours after the Trump administration had said it would block current and future international students from attending the university.

Harvard University's longstanding connections with China are under fire as the Trump administration accuses the institution of facilitating Beijing-backed influence operations on campus. With accusations of antisemitism and ties to the Chinese Communist Party,