Monrovia, Aug. 21 -- Liberia's controversial deportation arrangement with the United States took effect Thursday with the arrival of the first 20 third-country deportees at Roberts International Airport, but the transfer was overshadowed by a dramatic standoff after five of the deportees reportedly refused to leave the aircraft and were restrained by U.S. federal agents.

By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway

The five men were among the 20 deportees flown to Liberia under an agreement between the Liberian government and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump that could see as many as 1,200 third-country nationals sent to Liberia over the next 12 months.

According to The New York Times, the five men resisted efforts by American federal ag...