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.

The university has more than 20,000 international students enrolled at its campuses worldwide and they comprise 16 percent of the undergraduate student body.