Illegal immigration from Africa to Israel (often also referred to as infiltration by the Israeli media and by Israeli government organizations; however, this has been criticized) refers to the act of African nationals entering Israel in violation of Israeli law. This phenomena began in the second half of the 2000s, when a large number of immigrants from Africa entered Israel, mainly through the fenced border between Israel and Egypt. According to the data of the Israeli Interior Ministry, the number of immigrants that arrived illegally amounted to 26,635 people to July 2010, and over 55,000 in January 2012. African asylum seekers comprise 0.5% of Israel's population. Most African migrants are generally regarded to be legitimate asylum seekers by various human rights organizations.