Protests live updates: Marines make 1st temporary detention in LA

Top leaders at the Justice Department issued a directive to prosecutors around the country to be prepared to file charges over the weekend in the event of violence or "obstruction" of police at protests planned in several major cities.

The memo to all 93 U.S. Attorney's Offices, which was reviewed by ABC News, outlined several potentially relevant criminal statutes that prosecutors could consider applying to violent actors at protests.

Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh said the federal government will have "zero tolerance" for acts of "rioting, looting, arson, destruction of property, assaults on officers ... and obstruction of federal immigration efforts."

"Push out press releases whenever you file charges in these matters," the memo said. "We will not stop enforcing the law and we will not be deterred from keeping our districts safe."

-ABC News’ Alexander Mallin

Eighty-one arrests were made in LA on Wednesday night: 71 for failure to disperse, seven for curfew violation, two for assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and one for resisting a police officer, the LAPD said.

Nearly 500 people have been arrested in LA since Saturday, according to the LAPD.

Texas Gov. Greg. Abbott said he’s sending at least 5,000 National Guardsmen and at least 2,000 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to "maintain order" at protests.

"Texas will not tolerate the lawlessness we've seen in LA," he wrote, warning, "Anyone who damages property or harms a person will be arrested."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told lawmakers "it's not my lane" to say whether or not the Department of Defense would comply if a judge ordered a withdrawal of National Guard and Marines from LA.

"It's not your legal view that makes the decision in America. It's the federal judiciary," said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. "If the federal court ... judge has an order [that] is a preliminary injunction, will you agree to abide by the federal courts?"

"What I will tell you is my job right now is to ensure the troops that we have in Los Angeles are capable of supporting law enforcement in there," Hegseth replied. "This is not my lane. But we also recognize that the way in which the judiciary has expanded its powers.”

Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., a former Marine, ripped Hegseth over the Marine deployment in LA and Hegseth's refusal to say political allegiance should not be required for military service.

"You're not worthy of my attention or my questions. You're an embarrassment to this country. You're unfit to lead," Carbajal said. “And there's been bipartisan members of Congress that have called for your resignation. You should just get the hell out and let somebody competently lead this department.”

-ABC News’ Chris Boccia