Washington  - The United States announced new measures Tuesday in its detention policies for immigrants that would involve converting hotels and other residential facilities into secure housing.

The initiative is aimed at saving money while ensuring those detained are held under better conditions, which includes separating individuals who are not dangerous from those with criminal histories, said Janet Napolitano, the secretary of the Homeland Security Department.

"These new initiatives will improve accountability and safety in our detention facilities as we continue to engage in smart and effective enforcement of our nation's immigration laws," she said.

Current facilities, which include jails and prisons, hold about 380,000 people per year at a cost exceeding 2 billion dollars. The new policies would also provide better health care and screening, and prevent long stays by detainees while their cases are being processed, Napolitano said.  dpa