The top lawyer and executive for a conservative think tank is in hot water over comments she made about Somali refugees resettling in Minnesota.

“I think of America, the great assimilator, as a rubber band, but with this—we're at the breaking point,” Kim Crockett, vice president and general counsel of the Center of the American Experiment in Golden Valley, Minnesota, told The New York Times. “These aren't people coming from Norway, let's put it that way. These people are very visible.”

The story was published June 20. The next day, Crockett issued an apology “to the many Minnesotans, particularly in the Somali community, who were understandably upset by my comments in the New York Times.

“To be clear, my remarks do not reflect the values or views of Center of the American Experiment, or my own,” she continued. “I regret the embarrassment to my colleagues who work so diligently to make our state a better place to live and work for all Minnesotans. I've always advocated taking personal responsibility for one's actions and will strive to rebuild the relationships and trust that I have damaged.”

The center announced on Twitter that Crockett had been placed on unpaid disciplinary suspension for 30 days. Her bio also has been removed from the center's website, though she remains an employee of the group, according to a spokeswoman. 

In the Times article, it says Crockett intended to sue the state over its resettlement program in court. But the spokeswoman said Monday the “Center has never contemplated any such litigation.”

The organization's president, John Hinderaker, issued a response to the controversy in which he stated that the group “welcomes all those who immigrate to Minnesota legally, including Somali refugees.

“The recent comment one of our employees made to the New York Times does not reflect the views and values of our organization,” Hinderaker added. “We envision a Minnesota where everyone is free to reap the rewards of their own efforts and build meaningful lives for their families.”

Crockett could not be reached for further comment. She joined the center in 2012 and also serves as chair of the Federalist Society's lawyers chapter in Minnesota, according to her LinkedIn profile.  

Earlier in her career, she had a four-year stint as corporate counsel for TCF National Bank before joining the Minnesota Free Market Institute, a nonprofit group, as general counsel and president in 2010.