Catholic apologetics tactic: confusing initial justification with final justification

Catholic apologists often discuss initial justification (purely by grace, not merited) when speaking to Protestants to create apparent agreement, then obscure that the real Protestant objection has always been to final justification (which Catholicism ties to works and merit). The Protestant beef is specifically with final justification, not initial. This rhetorical move creates artificial confusion. Mike calls it misleading.