President Donald Trump’s deployment of military troops to California is forcing Democrats back onto politically perilous turf, as they look for ways to condemn Trump’s actions without being drawn into a broad debate over immigration or tying themselves to the chaotic scenes emerging from Los Angeles.

Local officials and Governor Gavin Newsom don’t want the military presence and the police chief has said it creates logistical challenges for safely handling protests.

Protests in California over President Donald Trump’s immigration raids have focused the country’s attention on one of the president’s key campaign promises: to conduct the largest deportation operation in U.