Los Angeles: California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump over the federal deployment of the National Guard to handle immigration protests in Los Angeles.

“Commandeering a state's National Guard without consulting the Governor of that state is illegal and immoral,” Newsom said during an interview with MSNBC on Sunday.

The move follows intense protests in Los Angeles, where demonstrators blocked a major freeway and reportedly set self-driving cars ablaze. Law enforcement responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and flash-bang grenades. While the city of 4 million remained mostly quiet on Monday morning, tensions remain high after Sunday’s clashes.

Sunday's protests were centred in several blocks of downtown and a handful of other places. It was the third and most intense day of demonstrations against Trump's immigration crackdown in the region, as the arrival of around 300 Guard troops spurred anger and fear among many residents.

Many protesters dispersed as evening fell, and police declared an unlawful assembly, a precursor to officers moving in and arresting those who didn't leave. Some of those who stayed threw objects at police from behind a makeshift barrier. Others hurled chunks of concrete, rocks, electric scooters and fireworks at California Highway Patrol officers and their vehicles parked on the closed southbound 101 Freeway. Officers ran under an overpass to take cover at one point.

The Guard was deployed specifically to protect federal buildings, including the downtown detention centre where protesters concentrated.

Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said officers were “overwhelmed” by the remaining protesters. He said they included regular agitators who show up at demonstrations to cause trouble.

Several dozen people were arrested throughout the weekend. One was detained Sunday for throwing a Molotov cocktail at police, and another for ramming a motorcycle into a line of officers.