WASHINGTON — The government’s inspectors general sharply criticized a Justice Department ruling from last month that determined that the whistle-blower complaint about President Trump’s call with Ukraine’s leader should not go to Congress.

The opinion could “seriously impair whistle-blowing” and deter intelligence officials from reporting waste, fraud and misconduct, about 70 inspectors general from across the government warned in the letter, dated Oct. 22 and released on Friday.

“Whistle-blowers play an essential public service in coming forward with such information, and they should never suffer reprisal or even the threat of reprisal for doing so,” wrote the inspectors general, who serve as independent watchdogs for their agencies.

The inspectors general, who are tasked with detecting and deterring fraud in the federal government, are a mostly nonpartisan group, and it is unusual for them to wade into a political fight or come together to criticize a ruling from the Justice Department.