Under federal law, immigrants convicted of domestic violence - felony or misdemeanor - are subject to deportation.
Among other changes, the amendments would allow immigrants convicted of less serious crimes to apply for deportation waivers.
The measure would also prohibit illegal immigrants convicted of a felony or three misdemeanors from any chance at citizenship.
President Clinton asked Congress today to appropriate $350 million to help states pay the costs of imprisoning illegal immigrants convicted of felonies.
The United States has signed one treaty that allows illegal immigrants convicted here to be sent to their country of origin.
The category is made up of immigrants convicted of simple drug possession in states that treat those offenses as felonies.
But another section of federal immigration law requires the detention of immigrants convicted of certain crimes, even if they are not considered a danger to society.
Legal immigrants convicted of certain crimes are subject to deportation.
On an individual level, legal immigrants convicted of minor crimes would be deported with no judicial review.
Last year, the House approved a bill allowing legal immigrants convicted of aggravated felonies before 1996 to avoid deportation.