Some 700 US Marines will be on the streets of LA by Thursday or Friday, the military said, to support up to 4000 National Guard troops in protecting federal property and federal agents, including on immigration raids.

Trump's decision to dispatch troops to LA over the objections of California Governor Gavin Newsom has sparked a national debate about the use of the military on US soil and further polarised the country. 

Street protests have broken out in multiple cities besides LA including New York, Chicago, Washington and San Antonio, Texas.

A federal judge in San Francisco will hear arguments Thursday as part of California's lawsuit against Trump.

The state is requesting a temporary restraining order to block the troops' participation in law enforcement activities.

California ultimately wants a court ruling that returns its National Guard to the state's control and declares that Trump's action was illegal.

The LA protests broke out last Friday in response to a series of immigration raids. Trump in turn called in the National Guard on Saturday, then summoned the Marines on Monday.

"If I didn't act quickly on that, LA would be burning to the ground right now," said Trump at an event at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

State and local leaders dispute that, saying Trump has only escalated tensions with an unnecessary deployment of federal troops, while Democrats nationally have condemned his action as authoritarian.

Trump is carrying out a campaign promise to deport immigrants, employing forceful tactics consistent with the norm breaking political style that got him elected twice. 

--Reuters--