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Western New Mexico University Marketing To Students In The U.S. Illegally

One of New Mexico's smaller colleges is using social media to recruit immigrant students from parts of Arizona and Texas.

Western New Mexico University recently launched its recruitment efforts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to attract high-achieving student immigrants who are living in the country illegally. The school also has placed billboards in Hispanic immigrant neighborhoods throughout the Southwest.

The school with an enrollment of 3,700 joins other colleges like City University of New York and Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine that are targeting similar immigrant students known as DREAMers. Schools are luring the students with scholarships and counseling.

Federal law does not forbid immigrants in the country illegally from attending universities and colleges in the U.S.

A WNMU statement to KRWG News noted:

"Western New Mexico University is an open-enrollment university that welcomes all students. We are reaching out to Dreamers, students protected under DACA status, and educating high school counselors about their higher education possibilities. Dreamers qualify for financial aid opportunities including private scholarships and work-study. "

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.