  We study the properties of compact stars in the Randall-Sundrum II type
braneworld model. To this end, we solve the braneworld generalization of the
stellar structure equations for a static fluid distribution with spherical
symmetry considering that the spacetime outside the star is described by a
Schwarzschild metric. First, the stellar structure equations are integrated
employing the so called causal limit equation of state (EOS), which is
constructed using a well established EOS at densities below a fiducial density,
and the causal EOS $P= \rho$ above it. It is a standard procedure in general
relativistic stellar structure calculations to use such EOS for obtaining a
limit in the mass radius diagram, known as causal limit, above which no stellar
configurations are possible if the EOS fulfills that the sound velocity is
smaller than the speed of light. We find that the equilibrium solutions in the
braneworld model can violate the general relativistic causal limit and, for
sufficiently large mass they approach asymptotically to the Schwarzschild limit
$M = 2 R$. Then, we investigate the properties of hadronic and strange quark
stars using two typical EOSs. For masses below $\sim 1.5 - 2 M_{\odot}$, the
mass versus radius curves show the typical behavior found within the frame of
General Relativity. However, we also find a new branch of stellar
configurations that can violate the general relativistic causal limit and that
in principle may have an arbitrarily large mass. The stars belonging to this
new branch are supported against collapse by the nonlocal effects of the bulk
on the brane. We also show that these stars are always stable under small
radial perturbations. These results support the idea that traces of
extra-dimensions might be found in astrophysics, specifically through the
analysis of masses and radii of compact objects.
