Can a non-citizen get a mortgage and auto loan?

I have a friend who says that she was the co-signer for a mortgage, and an auto loan. At the time she signed for the mortgage, she had only been married and living in the US for about 4 years. She had been part-time employed for maybe a year. Her husband at the time had about a 50 K a year income, but apparently had terrible credit, and that is why she had to co-sign for the loans for the house and car. She has a visa, which apparently last 15 years according to her, so she is legal to work, but not a citizen. I'm curious, is it even possible for her to be the primary signer for a mortgage or auto loan if she is not a citizen and only working a minimum wage job part-time for only a year? She also said they had to sell the house because it was going to be foreclosed and she didn't want it to ruin her credit because everything was in her name. I don't know anything about non-citizens and credit, is all this possible??