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STORY: Long lines of trucks remain stuck in Mexico.

Trade across the U.S.-Mexican border has been slowed after U.S. authorities shut down crossings and imposed extra security checks amid an increase in migration.

About 8,000 trailers carrying an estimated $1 billion worth of goods have been stranded on the Mexican side over the past week.

That's according to the president of the transport association of Ciudad Juarez, a major Mexican manufacturing hub across from El Paso, Texas.

Truck drivers, like Israel Ruiz, blame the long queues on Texan authorities' enhanced inspections.

“I honestly don't know if the queues are caused by the migrants. But there are thorough inspections and that takes a lot of time. Honestly, a lot of time is lost.”

The delays even forced one Canadian vehicle manufacturer to suspend production on Monday (September 25) and Tuesday at three factories in Ciudad Juarez that employ some 9,000 people.

Jesus Salayandía is a representative of the Mexican industry association Canacintra.

“Trucks are stranded for 12 hours, 24 hours or over 30 hours because there is a second truck inspection after crossing the border in the state of Texas. Once the goods cross, the state troopers take a long time to inspect the trucks and they are not finding anything, but crossing is taking a long time. That is causing a problem in the production of the assembly industry.”

Last week, U.S. border authorities suspended cargo processing at one of El Paso's international bridges to shift officers to process more migrant arrivals.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says some 500 northbound trucks normally cross that bridge each day, though only 40% are carrying cargo into the United States.