The Trump administration has denied it is working on a plan to use the National Guard to help round up illegal immigrants in up to 11 US states.

Key points: An 11-page document was leaked to the Associated Press detailing plans to mobilise National Guard Troops

An 11-page document was leaked to the Associated Press detailing plans to mobilise National Guard Troops The White House has flatly denied the legitimacy of the report; Spokesman Sean Spicer says the memo was "not a White House document"

The White House has flatly denied the legitimacy of the report; Spokesman Sean Spicer says the memo was "not a White House document" If implemented, the proposal could have led to enforcement action against millions of immigrants

An 11-page document, authorised under the name of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, was leaked to the Associated Press.

Administration officials said the proposal, which called for mobilising up to 100,000 troops in 11 states, was rejected, and would not be part of plans to carry out US President Donald Trump's aggressive immigration policy.

The draft is dated January 25 — the same day Mr Trump issued an executive order on illegal migrants.

If implemented, the National Guard idea could have led to enforcement action against millions of immigrants living nowhere near the Mexican border

Four states that border on Mexico were included in the proposal — California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas — but it also encompassed seven states contiguous to those four — Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.

The draft memo said participating troops would be authorised "to perform the functions of an immigration officer in relation to the investigation, apprehension and detention of aliens in the United States".

While National Guard personnel have been used to assist with immigration-related missions on the US-Mexico border before, they have never been used as broadly or as far north.

Despite the AP's public release of the document, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said there was "no effort at all to utilise the National Guard to round up unauthorised immigrants".

AP had sought comment from the White House beginning Thursday and DHS earlier Friday and had not received a response from either.

After AP released the story, Mr Spicer said the memo was "not a White House document" and said there was "no effort to do what is potentially suggested".

Mr Spicer flatly denied that the idea was under consideration, describing the report as "100 per cent false".

An 'offensive' proposal

Protesters have taken to the streets in Seattle in support of a man who is currently being detained by US immigration authorities. ( Reuters: David Ryder )

Impact of mobilising troops: Governors in the 11 states would have had a choice whether to have their guard troops participate, according to the memo.

Governors in the 11 states would have had a choice whether to have their guard troops participate, according to the memo. At a maximum, approximately 100,000 Army National Guard and Air National Guard personnel are available for stateside missions in the 11 states, according to statistics and information provided by the National Guard Bureau.

At a maximum, approximately 100,000 Army National Guard and Air National Guard personnel are available for stateside missions in the 11 states, according to statistics and information provided by the National Guard Bureau. It would have served as guidance to implement the wide-ranging executive order on immigration and border security that Mr Trump signed. Such memos are routinely issued to supplement executive orders.

It would have served as guidance to implement the wide-ranging executive order on immigration and border security that Mr Trump signed. Such memos are routinely issued to supplement executive orders. It describes how the troops would be activated under a revived state-federal partnership program, and states that personnel would be authorised to conduct searches and identify and arrest any unauthorised immigrants.

It describes how the troops would be activated under a revived state-federal partnership program, and states that personnel would be authorised to conduct searches and identify and arrest any unauthorised immigrants. If implemented, the impact could have been significant. Nearly one-half of the 11.1 million people residing in the US without authorisation live in the 11 states, according to Pew Research Centre estimates based on 2014 census data. Source: The Associated Press

A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official described the document as a very early draft that was not seriously considered and never brought to General Kelly for approval.

However, DHS staffers said on Thursday they had been told by colleagues in two DHS departments that the proposal was still being considered as recently as February 10.

DHS spokeswoman Gillian Christensen declined to say who wrote the memo, how long it had been under consideration or when it had been rejected.

The pushback from administration officials did little to quell outrage over the draft plan. Two Republican governors spoke out against the proposal and numerous Democratic politicians denounced it as an overly aggressive approach to immigration enforcement.

Democrats Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer said he was appalled at the report saying, " I just hope it's not true".

Mr Schumer called the concept "despicable" and said even considering the proposal would be "appalling".

"Regardless of the White House's response, this document is an absolutely accurate description of the disturbing mindset that pervades the Trump administration when it comes to our nation's immigrants," said US senator Catherine Cortez Masto.

Arkansas Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson said he would have "concerns about the utilisation of National Guard resources for immigration enforcement", believing such a program "would be too much of a strain on our National Guard personnel".

Utah GOP Governor Gary Herbert would have serious concerns about the constitutional implications and financial impact of activating the National Guard to round up unauthorised immigrants, the governor's office said in a statement.

Senator Richard Blumenthal said: "This administration's complete disregard for the impact its internal chaos and inability to manage its own message and policy is having on real people's lives is offensive."

Mr Trump's initial immigration order sparked days of mass protests across the Unites States. ( AP: Elaine Cromie )

ABC/AP