Washington DC - US federal judges are considering a proposal that would effectively create a new armed security force dedicated to protecting justices against increasingly violent threats.

The proposal would see responsibility for the security of federal judges shift away from the Department of Justice and be placed under their own control, effectively creating a new armed security force.

Around 50 federal judges met in a series of closed-door meetings in March to discuss the issue of security, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Concerns were raised about increasing threats against members of the judiciary as a result of President Donald Trump's attacks on judges and the legal process.

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Under current rules, Supreme Court justices are protected by the US Marshals Service, which reports to Attorney General Pam Bondi – a significant player in undermining the judiciary under Trump.

Democratic Senator Cory Booker last Thursday introduced a bill that would place the Marshals appointment process in the hands of the Chief Justice and Judicial Conference instead.

"There’s never been any reason in the 43 years that I’ve been on the bench to worry that the Marshals Service would do whatever was appropriate – until recent years," US district judge John Coughenour told the WSJ.

Coughenour had a SWAT team called on him earlier this year, after he overturned Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship. He said the proposal was a "wonderful idea."

In response to the report, the White House told the WSJ that Marshals "will continue to protect the safety and security of federal judges."