Story highlights Machado said Trump called her "Miss Piggy" and "Miss Housekeeping"

She just became a United States citizen and will vote for Hillary Clinton

Washington (CNN) Former "Miss Universe" Alicia Machado said she cried when she heard Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton talk about her during the first presidential debate at Hofstra University Monday.

"Well, last night I was with my family, with my mom and with my daughter, we were watching the debate and you know, I was really surprised," she said in Spanish during a phone call with reporters set up by the Clinton campaign. "And I started crying. I started crying because I never imagined that such an important person like her would care about my story, know about my story."

Machado was referencing a moment during the debate when Clinton slammed Donald Trump's for his past comments toward women -- which has become a key campaign issue that hits on his vulnerabilities with both Hispanics and women.

"And one of the worst things he said was about a woman in a beauty contest -- he loves beauty contests, supporting them and hanging around them -- and he called this woman 'Miss Piggy,' then he called her 'Miss Housekeeping' because she was Latina," Clinton had said.

She continued: "Donald, she has a name. Her name is Alicia Machado. And she has become a US citizen and you can bet she is going to vote this November."

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