The Trump administration argued in federal court that any judicial intervention to curtail its deployment of military troops to Los Angeles would endanger federal immigration agents and undermine the president's authority to keep American cities safe.

"This brazen abuse of power by a sitting president inflamed a combustible situation, putting our people, our officers and even our National Guard at risk. That's when the downward spiral began." Start the day smarter.

Some demonstrations have turned violent as protesters clashed with police, and in an extraordinary series of moves, Trump has deployed 4,000 National Guard members and 700 U.S. Marines to the city — all in opposition to California governor Gavin Newsom.