Corso's maintaining its standards after raid

SANDUSKY — Corso's Flower and Garden Center's roots in the community are still firm even after the immigration raid two months ago."Corso's has continued to serve our customers uninterrupted since the raid on our operations June 5," Corso's attorney Richard Panza said in a statement to the Register.The Department of Homeland Security and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) executed search warrants at Corso's locations in Perkins Township on Milan Road and in Castalia on Bardshar Road.Since the raid, many people have wondered how the flower and garden center is coping after federal agents detained 114 of its employees on suspicion of being undocumented.The day after the raid, Corso's was back in business and they have now hired more employees to help ensure they continue to meet customers' needs."We are proud of the efforts of all our teammates to maintain our operations, particularly those new employees that have helped us bridge the gap throughout the past two months," according to the statement.Undeterred by the uprooting of their normal operations, the flower and garden center has been able to maintain their working relationship with almost all the clients it had before the raid."Including all of our large wholesale customers that are so important to both our business and to this that shop large retailers for their plant and flower needs," according to the statement.No charges have been filed against Corso's in relation to how alleged undocumented workers became employed at the company. The Department of Homeland Security's investigation is ongoing."It will likely be several months before we have any significant developments," ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls said.The investigation is centered on discovering what criminal network allegedly enabled undocumented people to find employment in Ohio, special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations Steve Francis previously told the Register.Corso's said it demands proper documentation from all its employees and it was cooperating fully with the investigation. The investigation, however, won't prevent the flower and garden center from continuing to serve the community it has for decades."We continue to work toward a fair and equitable resolution to the investigation and will continue to put the needs of our employees and customers first as it proceeds," Corso's said in the statement.Reach reporter Michael Harrington at michaelharrington@sanduskyregister.com, follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterCorso's Flower and Garden Center on Milan Road (U.S. 250) in Perkins Township.