Emergency Guide

Know Your Rights in Emergency Situations

Your constitutional rights don't disappear under pressure. This guide covers what protections apply — and what to do — in 6 critical situations.

Emergencies happen fast. Bookmark this page and share it with people you care about. Knowing your rights in advance is the best preparation.

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Police Traffic Stop

Your Rights

  • Right to remain silent (5th Amendment)
  • Right to refuse consent to search
  • Right to know why you were stopped
  • Right to record police in public

Do

  • Pull over promptly
  • Provide license & registration
  • Stay calm, hands visible
  • Say "I do not consent to a search"

Don't

  • Argue or resist physically
  • Reach without telling officer
  • Lie about your identity
  • Answer questions about where you've been
Challenge later: If rights were violated, document everything and contact a civil rights attorney.
⚖️

If You're Being Arrested

Your Rights

  • Right to remain silent (invoke it clearly)
  • Right to an attorney before questioning
  • Right to know the charges against you
  • Right to make a phone call

Do

  • Say clearly: "I am invoking my right to remain silent"
  • Say: "I want a lawyer"
  • Stay calm and compliant
  • Remember everything possible

Don't

  • Resist physically
  • Explain yourself to police
  • Sign anything without a lawyer
  • Assume you'll talk your way out
Key phrase: "I am invoking my right to remain silent and I want a lawyer." Say it once, then stop talking.
🌎

Immigration Raid / ICE Encounter

Your Rights

  • Right to remain silent regardless of status
  • Right to refuse to open door without a warrant
  • Right to speak to an attorney
  • Right to a hearing before an immigration judge

Do

  • Ask: "Do you have a warrant?"
  • Ask to see it slid under the door
  • Stay silent about immigration status
  • Contact immigration legal aid immediately

Don't

  • Open door without seeing warrant
  • Sign any documents without a lawyer
  • Lie about citizenship
  • Run or resist
RAICES Hotline: 1-888-411-9620 | ACLU: aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights
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Domestic Violence Emergency

Your Rights

  • Right to call 911 without fear of consequences
  • Right to an emergency protective order
  • Right to leave with your children (generally)
  • Right to confidential advocacy services

Do

  • Call 911 in immediate danger
  • Go to an ER — injuries create a record
  • Request an emergency protection order
  • Contact a DV hotline for safety planning

Don't

  • Stay out of fear for abuser
  • Minimize or downplay to police
  • Return home alone to get belongings
  • Use joint accounts abuser monitors
National DV Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 | Text START to 88788 | thehotline.org (chat)
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Medical Emergency & Hospital

Your Rights

  • Right to emergency care (EMTALA) regardless of ability to pay
  • Right to refuse treatment (if competent)
  • Right to know what you're signing
  • Right to an interpreter at no cost

Do

  • Ask about all treatment options
  • Request an itemized bill
  • Ask about financial assistance programs
  • Appeal denied insurance claims in writing

Don't

  • Let billing prevent you from getting care
  • Sign financial agreements under pressure
  • Accept verbal-only explanations of charges
  • Give up on insurance appeals
EMTALA: Any hospital that accepts Medicare must provide emergency stabilization regardless of insurance or immigration status.
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Protest / Demonstration

Your Rights

  • Right to protest on public property (1st Amendment)
  • Right to photograph or film police
  • Right to remain silent if detained
  • Right to a lawyer if arrested

Do

  • Write lawyer's number on your arm in marker
  • Know legal observer contacts in advance
  • Keep moving if police declare unlawful assembly
  • Document any use of force

Don't

  • Block traffic without a permit
  • Obstruct police officers
  • Bring anything that could be construed as a weapon
  • Carry identification you fear seizing
ACLU Protest Rights: aclu.org/know-your-rights/protesters-rights | NLG Hotline: Find your local Green Hat at nlg.org

Always Remember

These rights only work if you assert them calmly and clearly. Physical resistance is dangerous — assert rights verbally, then challenge in court.

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Stay silent. You cannot talk your way out — you can only talk your way in.

👨‍⚖️

Ask for a lawyer. Once you say it, questioning must stop.

📱

Document everything — photos, video, names, badge numbers, witnesses.

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Act quickly. Evidence disappears. Rights expire. File complaints fast.

More Resources

📖 Full Rights Guide 🚨 Police Misconduct Guide 🌎 Immigration Rights ⚖️ Find Free Legal Help 🏠 Domestic Violence Resources 🏛️ Court Preparation