By BELO Border Bureau Chief Angela Kocherga

JUAREZ -- Thanksgiving is fast approaching and the holiday season is a usually a busy time at the international bridges with people coming back and forth to shop or visit relatives.

Bumper-to-bumper cars wait to cross the border at one of the busiest international bridges along the Juarez-El Paso border. The hold up: a military checkpoint in Mexico.

Increased security in some Mexican border towns coping with drug violence is disturbing the normal flow of traffic into the U.S. "They're checking to see if we don't have weapons," said Lili Gonzalez, a motorist waiting patiently.

Many border crossers dealing with double checkpoints say the extra security is creating longer delays. "It's difficult because of the military, but we're getting used to it," said UTEP student Daniel Navarro, "We have to cross every day."

"Mexican authorities are doing inspections on their side but those are not accounted into our wait times," said Ruben Jauregui, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "We only control what is on our side."

Cross border commuters have to brave the lines -- but during the holidays --shoppers may choose to avoid the hassle. This has many retailers worried that delays caused by the double checkpoints will only drive shoppers from Mexico away.