India, May 24 -- A US judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from barring Harvard University from enrolling foreign students after the Ivy League school challenged the government's shock move, which sent ripples of anxiety and fear coursing through Indian student communities.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston, Harvard said the government's action violated the First Amendment and will have an "immediate and devastating effect for Harvard and more than 7,000 visa holders."

"With the stroke of a pen, the government has sought to erase a quarter of Harvard's student body, international students who contribute significantly to the University and its mission," Harvard said in its suit. "Without its internatio...