How does Liberty come to live with the family?

The little dog Liberty is a gift from Papi to his daughter, the narrator. Mami is not too happy to see the animal; she thinks it looks like a mess and wants her husband to take it back immediately. But Papi has no intention of doing any such thing. The dog is a gift from Mister Victor, the American consul in the Dominican Republic. It's his way of saying thanks to Papi's family for all they've done to help him. Mami retorts that if he'd really wanted to thank them, he'd give them the visas they've been waiting for.
The narrator's family is hoping to start a new life in the United States, far away from their home country, which is ruled by a brutal dictator. When the narrator takes Liberty for a walk, she notices a couple of strange men in dark glasses hiding behind the bushes. It would appear that the family is under surveillance by government spies. Given the heavily autobiographical content of the story, it's clear that the narrator's family is considered subversive by the regime, so one can understand Mami's impatience for everyone's American visas to come through as soon as possible.