Associate degrees may not be useful internationally, but they are extremely useful if the student is planning to transfer into another college or university and finish their undergraduate degree. The California CCs have formal transition plans for moving into the UC and CSU systems in California. Other states have similar programs for their CCs and public universities. Many private colleges and universities also have these agreements.
Even international students will normally find it more cost-effective to complete an associates degree and transfer, than to spend all four years at a college/university here.