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A hearing in federal court set for Thursday will test President Donald Trump's power to deploy the military to assist with ramped-up immigration raids. The lawsuit from California Gov. Gavin Newsom seeks a temporary restraining order to limit the role of 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines that Trump sent to Los Angeles in response to protests over his immigration crackdown, despite opposition from state and local leaders. The state of California wants to block the administration from using the military to enforce immigration laws "to avoid irreparable harm to our communities and the rule of law." "This motion does not seek to prevent any of those forces from protecting the safety of federal buildings or other real property owned or leased by the federal government, or federal personnel on such property," the lawsuit says.In a response filed ahead of Thursday's hearing, the Justice Department describes the legal challenge as "a crass political stunt endangering American lives" that interferes with presidential authority. "Neither the National Guard nor the Marines are engaged in law enforcement. Rather, they are protecting law enforcement, consistent with longstanding practice and the inherent protective power to provide for the safety of federal property and personnel," the response says. Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, head of the task force that is overseeing the deployment to Los Angeles, said that 700 Marines were still undergoing training as of Wednesday. He could not specify when they would be deployed in downtown Los Angeles. He added that another 2,000 National Guard troops were expected to mobilize Thursday. California leaders argue that state and local law enforcement have responded effectively to protests and that the presence of the military "serves only to spread fear and heighten tensions in Los Angeles."